CHAPTER 9 — The Choice No King Could Make
Silence filled the ancient chamber.
One prince stood beside the Black Wolf.
The other beside the Silver Wolf.
Adrian smiled.
"Now you finally understand."
"There were never heroes."
"There were never villains."
"There were only two guardians."
"And two brothers."
He stepped closer.
"The Black Wolf chose compassion."
"The Silver Wolf chose justice."
"But humans deserve neither."
Elias tightened his grip on the Covenant Collar.
"I won't let more innocent people die."
Adrian shook his head.
"You still think this is about saving people."
"It isn't."
"It's about ending them."
With a roar, the Silver Wolf lunged forward.
The Black Wolf intercepted it.
The impact shattered ancient pillars.
Stone rained from the ceiling.
The entire chamber began collapsing.
The queen became trapped beneath fallen rubble.
"Elias!"
"Run!"
Instead...
He ran toward her.
The Black Wolf fought desperately despite its wounds.
The Silver Wolf overpowered it again and again.
Adrian laughed as the palace crumbled above them.
"This kingdom dies tonight!"
Suddenly...
The old healer cried out.
"Elias!"
"The collar!"
Without thinking...
Elias threw the Covenant Collar between the two battling beasts.
The iron shattered the instant it struck the ground.
A blinding golden light consumed the chamber.
The wolves stopped fighting.
Both lifted their heads toward the light.
Their bodies slowly began dissolving into thousands of glowing particles.
Elias watched in disbelief as two enormous spirits emerged from within them.
Not monsters.
Not wolves.
But ancient guardians made of pure light.
One golden.
One silver.
Together they spoke with a single voice that echoed across the collapsing kingdom.
"The age of guardians is over."
"Now humanity shall guard itself."
The light exploded across the sky.
Every wolf vanished.
Every curse disappeared.
Every magical mark faded.
Even Adrian's glowing scar turned black.
His power was gone.
He stared at his empty hands in horror.
"What... have you done?"
Elias looked at his brother with tears in his eyes.
"I gave the world back to people."
"But whether they deserve it..."
"That choice is ours now."
Outside, the first rays of dawn broke through the storm clouds.
For the first time in a thousand years...
The kingdom faced a future with no monsters to blame.
Only the consequences of its own choices.
May you like
And Adrian...
Still had one final move left.
