NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 631: Closed Doors
The Titanis woman remained silent, her expression unchanging. Her eyes remained fixed on the King, as if dissecting his very soul.
"Enough," she said, her tone devoid of empathy. "If this champion disappoints, there will be no more discussions, no more second chances. We will talk of usurping your world's path—I will find another means to create what I need."
The King's shoulders hunched slightly, his throat bobbing as he stuttered, "Y-yes, my Goddess, I promise…"
The Titanis Goddess's gaze pierced through him, then turned cold. "Understand this: we have gifted you. The blessings of our skills, of our power—you have tasted them. But gifts can be taken away just as easily, leaving you bare and powerless."
Blue's breath caught in her throat. From her vantage point, she could feel the fear radiating from the King. She could hear it in his desperate whispers, in the tremble of his hands as he clenched them into fists.
"Yes, my Goddess," he said, his voice little more than a croak, "whoever wins the tournament will exceed expectations, I swear it."
Titanis turned away from him, her gaze now lost to some distant point. Her face was set in stone, without emotion, without empathy. "Crush the rebels," she said finally, her tone almost casual. "Crush them and make your men stronger from it. If not, you will lose everything, and they will become the new rulers of this broken land."
The King bowed deeply, his nose almost touching the polished marble floor. "I will not fail you, my Goddess," he murmured, "but…"
Titanis glanced over her shoulder, a brow arched. The King shifted uneasily, swallowing before he spoke, "I must humbly request… one more coin. The same coin that helped us avoid catastrophe those years ago… please, just one more."
Titanis sighed, her breath a rush of wind that seemed to carry the weight of worlds with it. "This will be the last," she said, her words more of a growl than anything else, "and should you fail… you will simply be another soul for me to consume." She paused, her eyes cold and unforgiving, "Understand this is your last reprieve."
From her side, she pulled out a golden coin. It glowed softly, as if alive with a flickering flame, and she clutched it in her fist, her knuckles whitening. She stepped forward, holding her arm out, and with a simple, almost careless motion, threw it across the room.
The coin clanged onto the marble floor, its sharp metallic ring echoing as it spun and skittered toward the King's feet. He immediately dropped to his knees, his hands clasping it, his eyes glistening with desperation and gratitude. "Thank you, Goddess, I will not fail you."
Titanis turned, already walking away. As she did, a black mist began to swirl around her, rising like tendrils, wrapping and coiling about her armored form. She glanced once at the King, then at Blue's direction—or perhaps simply through her—and then, in the blink of an eye, the mist consumed her, and she was gone.
Blue blinked, her heart pounding in her chest. Her tiny form still clung to the ceiling, her wings trembling slightly. Her wide eyes remained fixed on the spot where the imposing Titanis had just stood, her ears ringing from the words spoken in that cold, commanding voice.
She watched as the King stood up, clutching the golden coin to his chest, breathing heavily. His face bore a mix of exhaustion and determination, and as he turned, Blue saw the tears that rolled down his cheeks—a glimpse of vulnerability behind the facade of his power.
The room fell silent, the tension still thick, the echoes of the Goddess's words heavy in the air. Blue swallowed, struggling to make sense of everything she'd heard, everything she'd seen.
But the words that stuck with her, that seemed to burn themselves into her mind, were those that spoke of using people as pawns, of crushing rebels, of consuming souls. And that golden coin… that single, glowing coin that held the power to alter fate itself.
As she watched the King pocket the coin and steady himself, Blue couldn't help but feel that this entire situation was far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. And as her wings fluttered faintly, she knew one thing for certain—whatever role Ty played in this game, they were all caught in something far larger, far more powerful than they had ever realized. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
As the King began to leave the room, he muttered aloud, "Now, with this coin, I will be able to stop whatever anyone is planning." His voice echoed faintly in the empty space. He flipped the coin up into the air, catching it with ease, and let it fall into his pocket. The sharp clang of metal echoed in the room, its sound carrying weight, almost as if it signaled something foreboding.
From her vantage point, hidden against the ceiling, Blue felt a sinking sensation grow in her chest. Her heart raced, thoughts spinning wildly as she processed what she'd seen and heard. "I don't know what that coin does," she whispered to herself, her eyes narrowing. "But I have to get it away from him." The urgency pulsed through her veins, making her wings tense against her back, her mind racing through possibilities. It was the only thing that felt right—a small chance to make a difference.
-- Meanwhile --
Ty stood in line, waiting in silence alongside Rosana, Waddle, and the other contestants. The anticipation hung heavy in the air, weighing down on everyone as they stood on the stone floor, staring forward. The cold wind from the outside brushed against his face, but it felt almost soothing—a reminder that, despite the madness of the games, the world outside still existed.
The minutes stretched on, feeling like an eternity, and Ty shuffled his feet, adjusting his stance, his eyes shifting around. No one was talking, not even Waddle or Rosana. They all knew they were on the brink of something—something big. And the silence was only punctuated by the occasional shuffle of feet or the clank of armor from the guards nearby.