Chapter 283: The Day the Heavens Wept Steel
[The Grand Temple of Lord Urzan — Continuation]
The cheers did not fade. If anything...they only grew louder.
"LONG LIVE PRINCE ZARYAN!"
"LONG LIVE PRINCESS NYZARA!"
"MAY LORD URZAN BLESS THE GOLDEN BLOOD!"
The sacred bells continued echoing throughout the temple; flower petals descended like gentle snowfall. The sunlight surrounding the twins slowly returned to its place above Lord Urzan’s colossal statue.
Yet...the warmth remained, as though his blessing had chosen to linger. The high priest slowly stepped forward once more; his aged eyes rested upon the twins.
Then...upon Levin and Zeramet.
"My Malik, Malika." He bowed deeply as his voice carried unusual solemnity. "The naming has been accepted, but...one rite still remains."
The temple immediately fell silent. Levin glanced toward Zeramet. "Final rite?"
The high priest nodded. "It is the oldest tradition of Zahryssar. So ancient...that even many nobles have forgotten its purpose."
He slowly raised the Staff of Urzan once more. "The Golden Blood...must offer their First Blessing."
The nobles exchanged confused glances. Lord Sharukh quietly frowned.
"First Blessing?" Even Zeramet looked thoughtful. "I have never witnessed that."
The high priest smiled gently. "Because the Empire has not witnessed the birth of Golden Blood...for generations."
He slowly descended the temple steps, stopping before Levin. "Please, place the heirs...upon the Sacred Stone."
At the centre of the reflecting pond...a circular white stone slowly emerged from beneath the crystal-clear water. Ancient runes covered its surface; each one shimmered with golden light.
Levin carefully looked toward Zeramet. Zeramet simply nodded. "Together."
Levin smiled softly, and together...they approached the Sacred Stone. Prince Zaryan blinked curiously. Princess Nyzara quietly yawned; neither child understood...that every eye within Zahryssar now rested upon them.
Levin slowly knelt, with all the gentleness in the world... He placed both twins side by side upon the Sacred Stone; the temple held its breath.
Nothing happened; one heartbeat passed, then another, silence. Several nobles exchanged puzzled looks.
"Has the rite changed?"
One whispered.
"I thought a miracle would happen; perhaps the stories were exaggerated."
The high priest never moved; he simply smiled. "Patience, the blessings of Lord Urzan, cannot be commanded."
Silence.
Prince Zaryan slowly turned his head, his golden eyes settling upon his sister. Princess Nyzara looked back.
For several tiny heartbeats...the twins simply stared at one another. Then both smiled; their tiny hands slowly reached across the Sacred Stone.
Tiny fingers, intertwined. The instant...their hands touched—
BOOOOOOOOOMMMMM—
Golden light erupted beneath the Sacred Stone, the ancient runes blazed brilliantly, the entire temple trembled, and the reflecting pond burst into countless circles of shimmering light.
The temple bells rang violently on their own outside...every bell throughout Zahryssar answered.
BOOOOOOOONNNGGGG...
BOOOOOOOONNNGGGG...
BOOOOOOOONNNGGGG...
A warm wind swept through the temple; thousands of white lotus petals rose into the air. Instead of falling...they circled the twins.
The high priest slowly fell to both knees; his voice trembled.
"It...it has happened..." Every priest immediately followed, one after another, kneeling. Even Lord Sharukh lowered himself, and then every noble, every knight, and every attendant.
Until only Levin and Zeramet remained standing before their children. The high priest slowly lifted tear-filled eyes.
"The Twin Blessing...a blessing spoken of only within the oldest scriptures."
Duke Aren frowned. "Twin Blessing?"
The high priest nodded. "It is said...when Golden Blood twins bless one another before receiving the world’s blessings...Lord Urzan accepts them as guardians, not merely rulers."
Silence.
"They shall not walk separate destinies; they shall complete one another. When one stands...the other shall never fall. When one is wounded, the other shall become strength."
"When darkness reaches one...the other shall become light." The temple grew impossibly still; the high priest slowly smiled.
"Today...Lord Urzan has answered...the prayers of Zahryssar."
Levin quietly looked toward the twins. Prince Zaryan happily squeezed his sister’s tiny hand. Princess Nyzara answered with another innocent giggle.
Neither understood...that the oldest prophecy of Zahryssar had just awakened. Far above them...the statue of Lord Urzan stood unchanged.
Yet, for the briefest imaginable moment... It almost seemed as though the Creator Himself were smiling.
***
[The Desert Road to Silthara Palace — Later]
The celebration still echoed behind them, far in the distance...the sacred bells of Lord Urzan’s Temple continued ringing across Zahryssar. Flower petals still drifted through the warm desert wind; the Imperial procession slowly descended from the Temple toward Silthara Palace.
The golden banners fluttered proudly; royal knights surrounded every carriage in perfect formation.
At the very centre...the imperial carriage rolled peacefully across the ancient stone road.
Inside, silence, a peaceful, sacred silence. Levin gently adjusted the soft blanket covering the twins. Prince Zaryan had fallen asleep against his father’s chest. Princess Nyzara rested quietly beside him, one tiny hand still wrapped around her brother’s finger.
Levin smiled; his voice was barely above a whisper. "Look at them; they slept through the entire ceremony."
Zeramet looked at the twins, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Perhaps Lord Urzan’s blessing exhausted them."
Levin chuckled softly. "Or perhaps they simply inherited your habit of sleeping whenever duty is finished."
Zeramet raised an eyebrow. "I do not."
"You most certainly do."
"I meditate."
Levin laughed. "That is merely a noble way of saying you sleep with dignity."
Outside...everything remained peaceful, until—Asha suddenly stood, and the tiger’s ears shot upright; a deep growl escaped her throat.
"Grrrrrr..."
Lyresaph immediately lifted his silver head, his blue eyes narrowed, and his body became rigid.
Levin’s smile disappeared. "Something is wrong."
At that exact moment—
SHHHHHHHHHK—
A black arrow tore through the air.
THUD!!
It buried itself into the carriage door only inches from Levin; the horses screamed.
NEIGHHHHHHH!!
Captain Varesh’s eyes widened.
"AMBUSH!!"
Another volley followed.
SHHHHHHHHHK!!
SHHHHHHHHHK!!
SHHHHHHHHHK!!
Dozens of black arrows rained from the surrounding cliffs.
"SHIELDS!!"
Royal Knights instantly raised enormous silver shields.
CLANG!!
CLANG!!
CLANG!!
Arrow after arrow shattered against them; the peaceful procession dissolved into chaos, and the desert itself suddenly erupted.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Sand exploded upward; black-scaled serpents burst from beneath the dunes. One, five, twenty, fifty and hundreds.
Their eyes burnt with murderous intent as everyone realised they are black serpents. Captain Raevahn immediately unsheathed his sword.
SHIIIING!!
His voice thundered across the battlefield. "FORMATION!! FIRST LINE! PROTECT THE IMPERIAL CARRIAGES!!"
The Royal Knights answered as one. "YES, CAPTAIN!!"
Steel crashed together; a defensive wall instantly formed around the Imperial Family. Varesh drew both swords; his gaze swept across the battlefield.
"They’re surrounding us! They came prepared!"
Another explosion shook the road; more Black Serpents emerged from beneath the sand like demons rising from the underworld. Prince Sarash’s expression darkened.
"This many... They planned this for months."
High Mage Arkhazunn thrust his staff into the earth. Ancient runes erupted beneath the procession. Golden barriers surrounded the civilians. "I shall protect the children!"
Lord Sharukh drew his curved blade. "So much for a peaceful celebration."
Lady Arinaya unsheathed her twin daggers. "They chose the wrong day to challenge Zahryssar."
Then, Zeramet stepped from the carriage; the moment his feet touched the ground...the desert seemed to fall silent, and his golden eyes slowly swept across the battlefield. Dozens of Black Serpents instinctively stepped backward.
And then one of the black serpents roared, "Find the golden blood...Kill them..."
The Black Serpent...
Hissed and Roared...
Zeramet slowly cracked his neck. His silver tail emerged behind him. "Take care of them."
He didn’t look back; he didn’t need to. Levin immediately understood; their eyes met, only once, and Levin nodded. "Let no one escape alive."
A faint smile crossed Zeramet’s lips. "As my consort, order."
The next heartbeat—
BOOOOOOOOM!!
His enormous silver tail smashed into the ground; the desert exploded beneath him like a bolt of silver lightning...he vanished.
CRAAAAASH!!
A mountain-sized black serpent was hurled through three sandstone pillars before it even understood what had struck it; the battlefield erupted, steel clashed, magic roared and sandstorms rose.
Captain Varesh crossed blades with three assassins at once. Raevahn led the Royal Knights in a relentless counterattack.
"ADVANCE! DO NOT LET THEM REACH THE CARRIAGES!"
Prince Sarash’s silver spear pierced through an attacker’s shoulder before spinning into another. Lord Sharukh fought with terrifying precision. Lady Arinaya moved like a desert shadow.
One dagger...then another...every strike disarmed rather than being a wasted movement. Arkhazunn raised both hands; ancient symbols ignited around him.
"Pillars of Urzan!"
Golden columns erupted from beneath the desert; several attackers were thrown backward as the sacred magic tore through their formation.
Duke Aren slashed the neck away. Zyvera groaned, mumbling, "It should be a peaceful day, not a war day."
And – KICK!!!
She kicked one of the black serpents.
"Did that foolish Black serpent emperor...drag all his serpents? Why are there so many?"
"It’s planned..." Raevahan said, as he stabbed one of them, "But...I wonder how they entered Zahryssar."
Yet...they kept coming, more...and more. As though the desert itself refused to stop giving birth to enemies. Inside the carriage... Levin tightened his hold on the twins. Prince Zaryan stirred. Princess Nyzara frowned in her sleep.
Another violent impact shook the carriage.
BOOM!!
A scream echoed outside.
Levin looked toward the entrance, his eyes narrowed. "No."
Several Black Serpents had slipped through the battle; they were racing directly toward the imperial carriage. Lyresaph immediately leapt before them; the young silver dragon turned into his real form and released a fierce roar far larger than his body suggested.
Asha planted herself at the carriage entrance, fangs bared. Levin slowly handed the twins to Iru; his voice became calm and deadly.
"Do not move."
Iru immediately wrapped both infants securely within her arms. "My Malika—"
Levin had already drawn his sword.
SHIIIING!!
The polished blade reflected the blazing desert sun. He stepped down from the carriage; his blue eyes held not fear...but resolve.
The first assassin lunged. Levin sidestepped.
SLASH!!
One clean strike sent the attacker crashing into the sand; a second came from behind. Levin spun.
CLANG!!
Steel met steel; he drove his elbow into the assassin’s chest before sweeping his legs from beneath him.
THUD!!
A final slash ended the attack; three more rushed forward. Levin did not retreat; he advanced. His blade danced like flowing water beneath the desert sun, every movement precise and every strike decisive.
Not born from rage...but from the determination of a father. He glanced toward Lyresaph and Asha; his voice rang with unwavering authority.
"Protect them." His blue eyes burnt brighter than the desert sky. "No matter what."
Lyresaph roared. Asha answered with a thunderous growl. Neither creature moved an inch from the carriage because within it...slept the future of Zahryssar, and across the blood-soaked desert...
The battle...had only just begun.
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