Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 867: Trial by Fire

Ethan didn’t overthink it. He had the group settled into a small palace just outside the main city.

The palace wasn’t built by Emerald Castle—it was something Ethan had brought over from another world. Its exterior gleamed with gold and jade, towering and majestic, enough to leave anyone speechless. He’d decided to keep it and placed it right beside the capital.

When Queen Seraphine stepped inside, she froze.

She hadn’t expected those "awaiting judgment" to be housed in such luxury.

What shocked her even more was that no one from Emerald Castle had shackled them. Instead, the palace was stocked with supplies—food, clean water, energy cells—all laid out for them to use freely.

After making the arrangements, Ethan didn’t linger. He turned and headed back to the main city.

Emerald Castle was powerful, yes—but their control only extended across the vast lands surrounding the capital. Beyond that, the world was still full of threats.

The biggest of them: the Vorgar Empire.

Vorgar had always been a force to watch, but now their resources were nearly depleted. Desperate to expand, they’d begun launching raids across nearby territories.

They’d already sent a vanguard into this region. And recently, their forces had crept dangerously close to Emerald Castle.

Inside the throne hall, Elira stood fuming.

"Master, they’ve gone too far!" she snapped, her voice tight with fury. "They’re not even trying to hide it anymore. They’ve started attacking the smaller pocket worlds around us. If I hadn’t caught it in time, they would’ve stolen everything."

Ethan’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. "I didn’t think Vorgar would move this fast. If we let them keep expanding, Emerald Castle won’t be safe for long."

He took a breath, slow and steady—then his gaze turned cold.

A pulse of energy surged from him, and the entire room seemed to tighten under the pressure.

A massive Energy Disc floated into existence around him, radiating a crushing force that made the air feel like it might collapse.

Everyone in the hall flinched, startled by the sudden release of power. No one understood why Ethan was unleashing this much energy now.

The tension was suffocating.

Then, just as quickly, he pulled it all back. His fist slammed down onto the map spread across the table.

"We can’t keep playing defense. It’s time to strike first." His voice rumbled like thunder through the hall. "Can we pinpoint where Vorgar’s forces are now?"

Feylora stepped forward quickly, her tone low and urgent. "Our scouts spotted them in this sector. Their numbers aren’t large, but they’ve got a powerful warship. We couldn’t get close."

Ethan’s eyes locked onto the location she indicated. His jaw clenched.

"They’re that close to Emerald Castle?" he growled. "Unbelievable."

He inhaled sharply, then made his decision without hesitation. "Mobilize the army. We’re going to wipe them out—fast."

The room erupted with energy. Everyone’s blood was boiling, their anger barely contained. They were ready to march out and crush Vorgar’s forces without a second thought.

But just as they were finalizing their battle plans, a figure stepped into the hall.

Queen Seraphine.

"Vorgar isn’t as simple as you think," she said calmly, her voice steady but edged with warning. "Their warship is no ordinary vessel. It’s powered by a strange mineral—something twisted. Its main weapon can reduce an entire pocket world to ash in seconds."

Ethan’s eyes widened.

He hadn’t even noticed her enter.

"Seraphine," he said sharply, "don’t forget—you’re a prisoner of Emerald Castle. You shouldn’t be wandering around. Someone could mistake you for an enemy and kill you on the spot."

But Seraphine didn’t flinch. She didn’t even acknowledge the threat.

Instead, she reached to her waist, pulled out a golden-glowing orb, and hurled it into the air.

The orb hovered for a moment—then burst with radiant light, flooding the hall.

The walls lit up, and images began to appear across the surfaces—like windows opening into another world.

"These are recordings of Vorgar’s raids," Seraphine said, her voice low but burning with restrained fury. "Our scouts risked their lives to capture this."

The hall fell silent.

Everyone stared, transfixed, as the images played out.

No one spoke. No one moved.

What they saw was worse than they’d imagined.

Vorgar’s forces didn’t just conquer—they annihilated. Entire worlds were razed. Populations wiped out. Resources stripped clean without hesitation or mercy.

Ethan was shaken by the footage, but his focus didn’t stay on the images for long.

Instead, his attention locked onto something else—an energy signature pulsing within the destruction.

It was strange. A force that reeked of death, yet pulsed with life. Like a paradox—raw annihilation, but not mindless. Every time it flared, an entire world vanished.

"Ataneya!" Ethan suddenly barked. "These bastards have gone too far. Take a team and get to this location. I want that warship. Bring it back if you can—I need to study that energy."

Ataneya’s eyes lit up with excitement. She gave a sharp nod and turned on her heel, vanishing from the hall without hesitation.

Queen Seraphine stood frozen.

She’d come here to warn Ethan, to stop him from charging headfirst into a disaster. She hadn’t expected Emerald Castle to respond by launching a full-scale military operation.

She opened her mouth to speak again—but before she could, a deep rumble echoed from outside.

She turned toward the sound—and her breath caught.

A massive Sky Fortress was rising into the air, its engines roaring like thunder. Thousands of smaller aircraft followed in formation, a fleet so vast it seemed to blot out the sky.

Seraphine stared, stunned.

She had never seen a force like this. Not even in the golden age of her people.

And that Sky Fortress—it radiated a power that felt ancient and overwhelming, like it had been forged in the heart of the earth and now ruled the skies. Compared to Vorgar’s warships, this wasn’t just a match—it might be an equal.

Ethan didn’t say much. Just gave a crisp order: "Fortify Emerald Castle’s defenses."

Then he turned and motioned for Seraphine to follow him out of the hall.

As they walked through the corridor, his voice was calm but firm. "Seraphine, your trial hasn’t started yet. I suggest you stay in line. Emerald Castle has its rules. You don’t need to worry about anything else. Just focus on your own role."

Seraphine lowered her gaze, a flicker of guilt crossing her face.

She hadn’t meant to overstep. She just didn’t want to see more people die. But Ethan’s words left her uneasy.

Still, as they stepped into the open rotunda and she looked around at the city’s strength, a bold thought took root in her mind.

She turned to him and asked, "Can I atone for what I’ve done? Let me join Emerald Castle. Let me fight with you against Vorgar."

The words hit Ethan like a spark.

His eyes flickered with surprise—then curved into a satisfied smile.

He didn’t answer directly. Instead, he turned to a nearby soldier and said, "Begin Seraphine’s trial."

Not long after, in a grand ceremonial hall, Queen Elowen and Desert Queen Kaelira sat at the center of the tribunal.

The pressure they exuded was immense. The moment Seraphine stepped inside, the air thickened, heavy with power. It felt like the entire room had frozen in place.

"No matter your reasons," Queen Elowen said, her voice low and commanding, "stealing energy from Emerald Castle is a crime. You were in the wrong."

A chill swept through the hall as Elowen released her aura—cold as ice, sharp as frost. Seraphine shivered involuntarily.

"My people were being hunted," Seraphine said quietly, her voice heavy with weariness. "I just wanted to give them a chance to survive."

But even as she spoke, the words rang hollow.

Everyone in the room could hear it. It sounded less like a defense—and more like an excuse.

If everyone used desperation as a reason to steal, how long would Emerald Castle’s resources last?

Desert Queen Kaelira slammed her hand on the table, her voice thunderous with fury. "Enough excuses! You have one option—admit your guilt, and lead your people into battle as part of Emerald Castle’s vanguard. Only then can you begin to make up for what you’ve done."