The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 136: I Will Grant You Your Freedom ()
"No one touches what is mine... not this time, not in this life. He dies... whoever hurts you..dies." Zariah declared knowing King Askel could hear her,
Although he would not understand, just how much Zariah had already lost... she was not willing to lose again.
A small smile settled on his lips and he nodded his approval.
Zariah could not bring herself to wonder anymore as her gaze reverted back to Lord Imain and she knew within her heart exactly what to do.
Like muscle memory, she felt that force of the currents and she knew exactly how to maneuver it.
Zariah’s gaze narrowed as she sneered at the rapid currents and then down at the powerful appendage made especially for cutting through waves.
With a flick of her tail, Zariah went darting straight into the rabid currents.
The force of the waters were ruthless, slamming against her and threatening to push her off course,
"The Sea is not your enemy, you are one with the Sea... embrace it! Flow with it!" Lord Melven’s voice reached Zariah.
Zariah followed his advice, she did not resist, she already knew she risked breaking her tail if she fought against the currents,
The merfolk were children of the sea, the currents was their friend, the seas which Zariah had been wary of her whole life... she would have to trust it this time.
Zariah relaxed her tail, letting the currents carry her with no resistance.
She drifted steadily along as she spun through it till the end of the whirl and shot out of the other side, startling Lord Imain who stared at her tail in horror.
"How dare you lay a hand on him? He is mine!" Zariah snarled ferociously, Torin’s animalistic tone sounding out in tandem with hers.
With Torin’s presence right on the surface, Zariah had never felt more powerful than she did in this moment,
Zariah stretched a hand out and her sword materialized in her grasp.
"You... what are you?" Lord Imain stuttered as he stared down at Zariah’s tail and the Crimson Flames blazing at her fingertips.
Zariah tilted her head to the side, a predatory grin on her lips.
"The last face you will ever see, Lord Imain of the Northern Sea." Zariah said in a chilling cold tone,
The sword in her grasp lit up in flames as she darted forwards, Zariah’s form was like a blur as she slashed her sword in a quick motion, whilst rounding a circle around her prey,
Zariah arrived at her starting point in the blink of an eye, her gaze cold and indifferent as she watched a stunned Lord Imain bleed out from the multiple injuries she had inflicted,
The injuries sizzled and burned, the effect of the Crimson Flame blazing on her sword was ruthless and deadly, scorching whatever it came in contact with.
The rapid currents had ceased and everyone present in the Northern Seas bore witness to this event,
The Tide Trident dropped out of Lord Imain’s grasp whilst he gasped for breath,
Zariah stretched a hand out and the Trident soared into her grasp,
"This... I... I never wanted to harm...harm the seven seas...I just wanted... wanted my freedom...yet till the very end... the Creator shows me no mercy..." Lord Imain spoke between pained gasps.
Zariah stared at Lord Imain, her gaze settling on the marking of the guardian on his arm.
’He failed to transfer the mark...but he returned without destroying the seal of the dome...when it all came down to it, he was not willing to sacrifice his people.’ Zariah thought, her heart moved with respect for this mer despite his mistakes.
And in that moment, she knew the right thing to do...good or bad, no one should ever have to live without a choice.
He had been born of noble blood, the royal blood of the seas ran through his veins too, he had fulfilled his duty diligently for centuries, he deserved a better end,
Chosen by the guardian mark of the Dome, Lord Imain had been left without any say to his own fate... although the duty granted him was noble, when granted against his will, how could he not loathe it?
And now, would he still have to die with the shackles of his duty clinging to him? His spirit still tied to the dome, forever a protector... forever in chains?
"Your freedom... I will grant it to you..." Zariah decided as she lifted the Tide Trident and infused her magic into it,
She thrust it forwards to the black guardian marking on Lord Imain’s upper arm and the moment the Trident came in contact with it, the marking burst into shards of magic energy.
Lord Imain’s gaze lowered to his arm which was now bare and devoid of the guardian marking and his lips stretched into a genuine smile as a single tear slipped out of his eyes, solidifying into a pearl before dropping down to the Sea bed.
"You have...my eternal gratitude. I...I have no... regrets..." Lord Imain gasped out.
"This... keep it... away from him..." Lord Imain said as he lifted a hand to tug off the necklace he wore with a strange item dangling from it.
The necklace drifted towards Zariah and she reached a hand out to take it, glancing down at the item with a frown.
"You have protected the Dome for centuries... you have my deepest respect and my gratitude, thank you for your services...Lord of the Northern Seas." Zariah said honestly.
"End it... I am tired..." Lord Imain replied with a smile.
Zariah’s heart clenched in sympathy as she nodded,
In the end, Lord Imain was just another victim of hate and rage... Zariah could understand him for she knew what it felt like to rage at the world for your own accursed fate.
"Your name will be remembered only as a worthy guardian, engraved in the halls of the noble, history shall bear no records of your mistake... "
"You shall rest with your noble ancestors in the royal mausoleum and your people shall never forget your honor... this is my vow to you Lord Imain, on my honor as Crimson Alpha and Lord Protector of the realm." Zariah swore solemnly.
She then stretched a hand towards the dying Sea Lord, a torrent of Crimson Flames surging out of her hand and engulfing him.
"Kyterin Sistri... the fire cleanses..." Zariah murmured quietly as the flames razed down the Sea Lord till there was nothing left but embers of glowing blue.
