Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 335

Chapter 335: Uprising III
Lusarus felt his heart pound faster, the cold grip of panic clawing at him as he realized how outmatched he truly was. How did it come to this? He could feel the walls of the room closing in, and for the first time, he wondered just when things had slipped so utterly beyond his control.

It had begun subtly, like whispers in the wind. First, small towns along the kingdom’s borders had fallen silent. Then came the larger villages, their trade routes rerouted, their allegiances shifted. And now, as he looked into the eyes of his former allies, he saw only loyalty to Lirael—a loyalty he had lost somewhere along the way, crushed beneath his arrogance.

“Princess Lirael,” Lusarus tried again, his tone a blend of anger and pleading, “you don’t understand what you’re doing. This kingdom cannot survive without its traditions, without its roots. This rebellion will destroy us all!”

Lirael’s gaze was steady, unwavering. “No, Lusarus . It is those very traditions that have held us back. I have seen the struggles of our people firsthand. I’ve seen how they suffer under outdated laws and rigid rule. This rebellion is for them, not for me, and not for any thirst for power.”

The First Minister could feel his influence slipping further with every word she spoke. His carefully crafted empire of influence and control was crumbling before his eyes. He searched the crowd, looking for any ally willing to support him, but all he found were cold stares.

Aiden stepped forward, his presence commanding as he spoke directly to Lusarus . “Today is the end of your rule, Lusarus . Lirael has taken the throne, and with her, this kingdom will rise from the shadows you’ve cast upon it.”

As Lusarus’s voice thundered through the hall, the hidden cadre of elite guards, dressed in blackened armor that seemed to absorb the very light around them, surged forward. These were not ordinary soldiers; their eyes were sharp with a single-minded determination, and their movements were fluid, synchronized like a pack of wolves. Their loyalty to Lusarus was unbreakable, rooted in promises of power and privileges far beyond the reach of ordinary men. They knew no hesitation, only the silent command to strike down anyone who stood in their master’s way.

Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the advancing threat. He’d faced skilled fighters before, but he could sense that these were different—a handpicked unit, trained for the sole purpose of defending Lusarus’s interests without a second thought for their own lives. His stance shifted subtly, every muscle poised and ready, his senses heightened as the first wave of attackers closed in.

The clash began with a flash of steel and a storm of movement. Aiden moved like a shadow, his form barely visible as he dodged and deflected each blow with effortless precision. His blade flashed, catching the glint of torchlight as he redirected an attacker’s sword, twisting it aside in a fluid, almost dismissive motion. His counterattack was swift and calculated, a single strike aimed with deadly accuracy. His opponent crumpled to the floor, clutching his side, as Aiden spun to face the next.

Across the room, Lirael was no mere spectator. With a fierce resolve burning in her eyes, she engaged the advancing guards with a grace and ferocity that belied her royal lineage. She ducked under the swing of an axe, the whoosh of air grazing her cheek as she moved with fluid agility, her every step calculated to evade the attacks while countering with her own. She wielded a slender blade, more suited for speed than brute force, but in her hands, it was as deadly as any broadsword. Her strikes were swift, aimed to disable rather than kill, a testament to her strategic mind. Her focus was unwavering, her resolve unbreakable.

One guard lunged at her, his sword descending in a powerful arc, but she sidestepped just in time, her blade flashing as it sliced across his arm. He staggered back, and in a swift motion, she disarmed him with a well-placed kick, sending his weapon clattering to the floor. Another guard tried to flank her, but she spun around, her blade finding its mark as she drove him back with a precision strike to his shoulder.

Aiden, seeing a pair of guards closing in on Lirael from behind, moved with blinding speed, intercepting them in a flurry of strikes. His movements were a dance of lethal grace, each motion purposeful, his expression calm as he deflected their attacks. He disarmed one guard with a quick twist of his wrist, the weapon flying from the man’s grasp as Aiden used his momentum to throw him off balance. The second guard, undeterred, aimed a swift jab at Aiden’s side, but Aiden sidestepped, delivering a swift blow to the guard’s jaw that sent him sprawling.

Breathing heavily, Lusarus’s loyal guards regrouped, circling Aiden and Lirael with renewed determination. They exchanged quick glances, understanding that a change in strategy was needed. This time, they moved as a cohesive unit, attacking from all sides in an attempt to overwhelm their opponents with sheer numbers.

Aiden and Lirael shifted back-to-back, instinctively coordinating their movements. The assault came in waves, each guard lunging with relentless precision, but Aiden was ready, his blade moving faster than the eye could follow. With each parry, he deflected strikes aimed at Lirael, while she returned the favor, countering blows that came too close to him. The two fought in harmony, an unspoken understanding passing between them as they fended off the assault.

The elite guards began to falter, their once-unbreakable resolve cracking under the relentless defense. Aiden’s gaze hardened as he advanced, his steps precise, his strikes unerring. His movements exuded an air of quiet authority, his calm demeanor in stark contrast to the chaos around him. With each swing of his blade, another opponent fell, until the guards’ numbers dwindled to a mere handful.

In one final act of desperation, the last few guards lunged forward, their faces etched with the grim knowledge that they were fighting a battle they could not win. But Aiden’s blade was swift, his strikes merciless as he disarmed them one by one. Lirael, with a final sweeping strike, sent the last guard sprawling to the floor, her breath coming in measured gasps as she lowered her weapon.

As the dust settled and the echoes of clashing steel faded, Lusarus looked on, his expression twisted with a mixture of fear and rage. His once-loyal guards lay defeated, their bodies strewn across the marble floor, their loyalty shattered alongside his ambitions.

Aiden turned to face Lusarus, his gaze cold and unyielding. “Your era is over, Lusarus,” he said, his voice a low, steady threat. “No amount of force or manipulation will bring it back.”

Lusarus’s hands clenched, his face pale with the weight of his failure. He had played his last hand, and in the span of mere moments, he had lost everything.

But even as the elite guards fell, Lusarus refused to yield. He backed toward the throne, gripping the arms of the king’s seat with white-knuckled hands, his face a mixture of rage and disbelief.

“You think this is over?” he hissed, his voice hoarse. “You think you can simply waltz in here, overthrow everything I’ve built, and expect to rule? This kingdom is built on power, and without it, you will fall. They will turn on you, just as they have on me.”

Aiden stepped forward, his gaze piercing as he looked down at the fallen minister. “Power? Is that all you ever cared about?” His voice was quiet but laced with contempt. “That’s why you failed. Because you could never understand that true strength lies not in fear, but in loyalty, in unity.”

Lusarus scoffed, his eyes darting between them. “Unity is a fairy tale for the weak. Without power, you are nothing.”

Lirael moved beside Aiden, her expression one of profound disappointment. “And that, Lusarus, is why you can never lead this kingdom. Your lust for power blinded you, made you deaf to the cries of the people you were meant to protect.”

The First Minister sank into the throne, his confidence finally broken. His eyes, once sharp with ambition, were now dull, reflecting the emptiness of his hollow ideals. He had lost everything, and the realization was crushing.

With a final sigh, Lusarus looked at Lirael, his voice a mere whisper. “You think you’re different. But one day, you’ll see the truth—that power is all that matters.”

Lirael shook her head, sorrow evident in her gaze. “If that’s the truth, Lusarus, then this kingdom was doomed long before I ever stood here.”

And with that, Lusarus was taken away by the guards, his legacy reduced to nothing more than a cautionary tale.

As he was led out of the throne room, Aiden turned to Lirael. “The path ahead won’t be easy. There will always be those who seek to control, to manipulate. But we’ll face them together.”

Lirael nodded, her determination unwavering. “Yes, we will. For the kingdom, for its people… and for a future worth fighting for.”

Together, they walked forward, leaving behind the shattered remnants of the old rule and stepping into the dawn of a new era—one built not on fear or power, but on hope and unity.