Chapter 1644: Home Invasion II

She froze for only a fraction of a second. Soon after, instinct took over.

Lory sprang to her feet, throwing out her hand. A burst of radiant light flashed as the Trinity Staff flew into her grasp. Before her fingers fully closed around it, the divine weapon shimmered and reshaped itself into a long, slender sword.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she rushed out of her room.

The corridor was already in chaos. Servants and guards shouted in alarm while distant crashes reverberated throughout the palace. Lory’s eyes darted from side to side before she sprinted toward the source of the commotion.

Her forehead creased.

No one should have been capable of causing such destruction inside Cestine Palace. Her pulse hammered against her ribs like a war drum as she raced through the corridor, every instinct screaming that something was terribly wrong.

She reached the upper railing just as another violent tremor rippled through the palace. Massive pillars shuddered, shedding dust and fragments of stone.

Above, the ceiling groaned under the strain, sounding as though it might collapse at any moment.

Fortunately, after the Black Dragon’s last assault, Cestine Palace had been reinforced from its foundations. It would take far more than a few explosions to bring it down.

Even so...

The palace structure might hold but the enormous crystal chandelier suspended above the grand hall might not. The chandelier swayed violently, its iron chains groaning ominously as if they might snap at any second.

Gripping the railing, Lory looked down at the source of the chaos. There she saw two palace guards, a man and a woman were stood in the center of the hall.

Their eyes were vacant.

Their expressions were empty.

Like puppets trapped in a nightmare, they unleashed their Gifted abilities without restraint, blasting apart walls and pillars as everyone desperately scrambled to avoid the destruction.

"Lory! Stay away from there!"

Before she could react, someone seized her arm and yanked her backward.

A colossal marble statue crashed onto the spot where she had been standing only an instant earlier. The impact thundered through the palace. Strong arms wrapped tightly around her, shielding her from the shower of stone debris.

Lory looked up in shock, "Luc?!"

"What are you doing here?" Lucas demanded, his voice sharp. "You should’ve stayed in your room!" The anger in his words did little to hide the fear and desperation beneath them.

"Are you kidding me?" Lory shot back, wrenching herself free just enough to glare at him. "Like I’d hide in my room while someone attacks my house!"

Lucas clenched his jaw, knowing his sister’s character too well. Lory would never stand aside while others fought, especially not inside their own home. But things were different now. She was pregnant, and her power was still unstable.

"Stay here, don’t go anywehere" Lucas ordered, pushing her gently but firmly toward a sheltered corner behind a thick stone pillar.

He turned back toward the raging battle. At that very moment, a tremendous shockwave tore across the grand hall.

Fargo charged forward with a thunderous roar, swinging his enormous sword in a devastating arc toward the frenzied Gifted guards. The force of the strike split the marble floor beneath his feet.

Almost simultaneously, Fredhardt leaped from the opposite balcony. He descended like a falling star, his sword flashing with deadly precision before crashing into one of the rampaging enemies.

The impact detonated like thunder, unleashing another violent shockwave that rippled through the already trembling palace.

The force of the collision surged upward, shaking the entire grand hall. High above, the colossal crystal chandelier swayed violently beneath the vaulted ceiling. ⅇℯ𝚕.

Its iron chains groaned in protest as the enormous twenty-kilogram masterpiece lurched from side to side. Cracks raced through the crystal ornaments before they finally gave way.

Thousands of glittering shards rained down like a deadly storm.

In that instant, Lucas calmly raised a hand.

A translucent barrier blossomed into existence, enveloping everyone below in a shimmering dome.

The crystal fragments struck its surface with sharp, rapid chimes, unable to pierce the magical shield. Lucas slowly curled his fingers into a fist. Instantly, every shard trapped against the barrier compressed inward, crushing into countless glittering specks of dust.

Lory took long strides toward Lucas before flicking her wrist, summoning a gentle gust of wind. The glittering dust swirled gracefully through the air before the breeze carried it harmlessly out through the shattered windows, disappearing into the open sky.

She came to a stop beside her brother. The twins exchanged a brief glance before lowering their eyes to the scene below.

The king’s men had already rushed into the grand hall, swiftly escorting the palace staff to safety while securing every entrance and surrounding the battlefield with practiced efficiency.

Lucas rested one hand on the balcony railing as he silently observed the battle below. His expression remained composed, betraying not the slightest trace of concern despite the chaos unfolding around him.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the twins presented an imposing sight.

They were the descendants of the Lucient bloodline, a royal lineage that had endured centuries of triumph and tragedy. From childhood, both had been groomed to bear the weight of a kingdom.

Although Lucas ultimately inherited the crown, Lory had never stood in his shadow. She had fought beside him on countless battlefields, stood beside him through political negotiations, and shared every burden that came with ruling Harland.

Their minds were equally sharp, their judgment equally keen, and under the greatest pressure, they remained remarkably calm. 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ

There was once a saying among those who knew them well: the future of the Kingdom of Harland was never entrusted to its Crown Prince alone, but to the last two heirs of House Lucient—a pair of extraordinary siblings whose brilliance rivaled one another’s and whose strength was greatest when they stood side by side.

"The enemy’s reach is longer than we expected," Lory said quietly, her gaze fixed on the carnage below.

"They’ve managed to reach even the people within our own palace." Her eyes turn cold.

"Indeed." Lucas nodded, his voice calm and unwavering. "But I trust every person who serves within Cestine Palace. I have a strong suspicion they were merely victims, trapped by the enemy’s scheme."

"I have the same feeling, Brother," Lory replied.

"Besides, every member of the palace staff underwent Fredhardt’s meticulous screening. I refuse to believe they could deceive both Fred and our security system." Her gaze drifted back to the battle below.

The twins stood side by side in silence, watching the final moments of the battle unfold. Though neither spoke again, the determination reflected in their eyes was identical, a quiet resolve befitting the heirs of Lucient.

The battle was rapidly drawing to its conclusion. Fredhardt and Fargo had deliberately held back, intending to capture the remaining assailants alive for questioning.

Then it happened again.The two perpetrators’ bodies suddenly convulsed violently.

Fredhardt’s eyes narrowed. A familiar sense of dread settled over him. He knew exactly what was about to happen. Across from him, Fargo’s expression darkened as well. He had reached the same conclusion.

A second later—

Boom! Boom!

Both perpetrators’ heads exploded simultaneously. Soon after, blood, shattered bone, and fragments of flesh erupted in every direction.

Fargo instinctively moved to evade the gruesome blast, but before he could, Fredhardt suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked himself behind the larger man, shamelessly using him as a human shield.

The horrific spray splattered squarely across Fargo’s face and drenched the front of his uniform in blood. Only after the explosion had subsided did Fredhardt cautiously peek out from behind Fargo’s broad back.

Seeing that the danger had passed, he flashed an unapologetic grin. "Thanks, big guy. I owe you one."

Fargo slowly wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand before shooting Fredhardt an exasperated glare. "You’ll pay for the dry cleaning."

Fredhardt only smirked, completely unapologetic, before walking toward what remained of the perpetrators.

The heads were gone, and what remained of the bodies had been reduced to grotesque, mangled corpses. Torn flesh, shattered bone, and dark blood stained the marble courtyard, the horrific sight enough to turn even seasoned soldiers pale.

Fredhardt silently crouched before the remains. Lowering his head, he offered a quiet prayer. No matter what had happened, these people had once served within Cestine Palace.

In a way, they had been his fellow workers. He hadn’t even known their names, yet no one deserved an end as horrifying as this. After a long moment, he rose to his feet.

Fargo was already standing beside him, his expression grim as he stared at the mutilated remains.

"We need to find out what happened to them," Fredhardt said, his voice heavy. "How did the enemy manage to plant those devices inside them?"

"I’ll oversee the investigation myself," Fargo replied without hesitation. Pulling out his phone, he began dialing Jay’s number. "I’ll have Jay trace everything they’ve done over the past two days—every assignment, every movement, and everyone they came into contact with. Somewhere along the way, the enemy must have found an opening."

Fredhardt and Fargo ascended the grand staircase, their footsteps echoing softly through the damaged hall until they reached the balcony where Lory and Lucas stood.

The twins wore the same composed expressions as always, their bearing as regal as ever. Yet beneath that calm exterior, Fredhardt caught the unmistakable glint of restrained fury lingering within their striking violet eyes.

They were angry.

Not because the enemy had dared to attack the palace, but because innocent people who had served beside them had been turned into unwilling weapons.

"You alright, Lory?" Fargo asked, his usually gruff voice softened with concern.

Lory offered him a faint smile. "I’ve seen worse."

"I know you have." A trace of sympathy flickered across Fargo’s face.

A princess should never have to witness such horrors. She should have grown up sheltered behind palace walls, cherished and protected from bloodshed and death.

But Lory had never been an ordinary princess.

She had walked across battlefields long before she had worn gowns to royal banquets. She had witnessed kingdoms fall, comrades die, and monsters that few could even imagine. Compared to those memories, even this gruesome scene failed to shake her resolve.

"What I don’t understand," Lory said, her brows knitting together, "is why they targeted the staff of Cestine Palace. It’s not as though a handful of palace employees could inflict any meaningful damage on us."

"They weren’t trying to," Lucas replied, his voice quiet and measured. "This was a message." His violet eyes swept over the bloodstained courtyard below. "Perhaps they’re enraged because we took Lucia from them."

Fredhardt folded his arms with a snort. "Exactly. They’re telling us, ’Since you’ve taken our people, we’ll destroy yours—one by one, and there’s nothing you can do.’"

His expression hardened as he looked at the mangled remains below, "This..." he said grimly, "...is only the beginning."

Lory’s expression darkened, the last trace of warmth fading from her face, "Then we cannot let them succeed."

Lucas gave a slight nod, his gaze never leaving the courtyard below.

"Inform the security division and every member of the palace staff of the new safety protocols they must follow," he ordered in a calm, commanding voice, "Conduct a thorough examination of everyone within Cestine Palace. Leave no one unchecked."

His eyes grew colder, "Make certain that no one has been unknowingly implanted with MADD."

"At once, Your Majesty."

Fredhardt and Fargo bowed in unison, their right fists pressed firmly against their chests in a formal salute before turning to carry out the king’s orders without delay.