A Royal Obligation
Chapter 258: Damm them All

Chapter 258: Damm them All

As the heavy doors of the throne room slammed shut behind the departing generals, left alone, King Thaddeus sank into his throne, his fists clenching the armrests. His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each one more dire than the last.

The weight of the impending battle pressed down on him like a crushing tide. The distant rumble of shouting soldiers and clanging metal echoed through the castle halls, growing louder with each passing moment. For the first time in years, fear licked at the edges of his resolve.

He slammed his fist against the gilded armrest of his throne, the sound reverberating through the empty chamber. Damn them! Damn Carl for his selfishness. Damn Zephyros and Valeidio for their arrogance. His mind churned with frustration, but the faint tremor in his hand betrayed the cracks in his confidence.

A faint knock came at the door before one of his guards stepped inside, his expression tense. "Your Majesty," the guard said, bowing deeply.

"Speak," Thaddeus barked, his patience already worn thin.

The guard hesitated, then answered, "The generals have mobilized the troops, as per your orders, but reports from the scouts suggest... the enemy has breached the northern gate."

Thaddeus’s grip on the armrest tightened until his knuckles whitened. "The northern gate? Already?" His voice was a low, dangerous growl.

The guard nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Commander Rathorne is attempting to hold the line, but he’s severely outnumbered."

Thaddeus rose from his throne, the anger in his movement palpable. "Reinforcements," he ordered. "Send every available man to the northern gate. It cannot fall. Do you hear me? The gate must be reclaimed at all costs."

The guard bowed and made to leave, but he hesitated, glancing back nervously.

Thaddeus’s eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

The guard licked his lips, his hesitation evident. "Your Majesty, there is another matter." He paused, as though searching for the courage to continue. "It is said... Prince Kaelix of Zephyros leads the assault himself."

The name landed like a blow. Thaddeus stilled, his expression hardening. Kaelix. The prince’s name carried weight, a relentless force of stubbornness and strategy. But wasn’t he supposed to be in Valeidio?

King Thaddeus’s brow furrowed as he processed the news, his mind racing. Reports from his spies had been clear, or so he thought. Kaelix had been in Valeidio mere days ago. His presence here, at the head of an assault on Mbuzuoria, made no sense.

"Are you certain of this?" he demanded, his voice sharp, almost desperate. "Kaelix himself? Leading the vanguard?"

The guard shifted uneasily, his posture stiff. "Yes, Your Majesty. The reports are consistent. Prince Kaelix was sighted by our scouts at the northern gate. He leads their forces personally."

Thaddeus’s hand clenched into a fist. This wasn’t just an attack, it was a declaration. A deliberate move to destabilize his kingdom and deliver a personal blow. But how had they moved so swiftly? How had Kaelix slipped past his watchful eyes without raising suspicion? His spies should have alerted him to this. Unless... unless they’d been compromised.

He slammed his hand on the armrest of his throne, the sound echoing through the chamber. "Damn it! How could this happen?" His voice was a mix of fury and disbelief. "Kaelix was supposed to be in Valeidio, taking care of his weak consort, not storming my gates!"

The guard remained silent, wisely choosing not to respond. Thaddeus rose abruptly from his throne, pacing before the war table, his cape sweeping behind him like a storm cloud. His generals had left mere moments ago, but the urgency of this news demanded immediate action.

"Summon the generals back here," he barked. "We must reassess our strategy. "

The guard nodded but hesitated before leaving. "Your Majesty," he said cautiously, "our forces at the northern gate are holding, but they are vastly outnumbered. Commander Rathorne is requesting immediate reinforcements."

Thaddeus froze mid-step, his jaw tightening. His forces were already stretched thin. Diverting more troops to the northern gate would leave other critical areas vulnerable. But if the northern gate fell...

"Send reinforcements," he said finally, his voice heavy with resignation. "Every available soldier. The gate must not fall."

The guard bowed and quickly departed to carry out the orders. Thaddeus turned back to the map on the table, his fingers trailing over the miniature figures representing his kingdom’s forces. The realization hit him like a cold wave, Kaelix’s presence here meant his kingdom had become the battleground of a larger conflict. This wasn’t just a raid or retaliation. It was an outright war, and Mbuzuoria was caught in the crossfire.

"Kaelix," Thaddeus muttered under his breath, the name dripping with venom. His mind turned to Carl, the son who had brought this disaster upon them. If Carl hadn’t been so reckless, so insistent on defying his demands, perhaps this war could have been avoided.

"All of this because of him," Thaddeus growled, his fist slamming down on the table once more. His frustration simmered just below the surface, threatening to boil over. "And now, where is he? Hiding like a coward while his actions bring ruin to us all."

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps outside the throne room. Before he could call for entry, the doors burst open, and another guard stumbled in, panting and pale.

"Your Majesty!" the guard gasped, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

Thaddeus glared at the intrusion, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "What is it now?" he snapped. "Have you more bad news to deliver?"

The guard straightened, his eyes wide with urgency. "Your Majesty... we are under attack!"

The room fell silent, the weight of the words sinking into the air like a stone in water. Thaddeus’s expression darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Under attack?" he repeated, his voice dangerously low. "You already told me about the northern gate. What more is there?"

The guard shook his head, his voice trembling. "No, sire. It’s not just the northern gate. They’ve breached our defenses. Zephyros and Valeidio forces are inside the city walls."

For a moment, Thaddeus stood frozen, disbelief etched into his features. "Inside the city..." he murmured, the words barely audible.

The guard nodded grimly. "Yes, Your Majesty. The attack is coordinated. They’ve overwhelmed the outer defenses and are advancing toward the central district as we speak."

The weight of the situation bore down on Thaddeus like a collapsing mountain. This was worse than he’d imagined. His kingdom wasn’t merely under siege, it was being torn apart from within.

He slammed his hand on the table, his fury erupting. "How could this happen? How did they breach the walls so quickly?"

The guard flinched but offered no answer. Thaddeus’s mind raced, a whirlwind of calculations and grim realizations. His kingdom was crumbling before his eyes, and the enemy was already at his doorstep.

"Alert the commanders," he ordered, his voice rising with authority. "Every available soldier is to fall back to the inner city and form a defensive perimeter. The palace must not fall."

The guard bowed deeply, his face pale. "At once, Your Majesty," he said before retreating from the throne room.

As the doors closed behind him, Thaddeus stood alone, the weight of his kingdom’s fate pressing heavily on his shoulders. He glanced once more at the map on the war table, his eyes lingering on the northern gate and the central district now under siege.

"So, it’s come to this," he muttered, his voice filled with quiet determination. If Kaelix had come to claim his city, he would find that Thaddeus would not surrender it so easily. The king turned toward the armory, his steps resolute.

---

inside the city of Mbuzuoria, the battle roared with the chaos , the clang of steel on steel, the cries of the wounded, and the unrelenting thunder of hoofbeats on churned earth.

The scent of blood and smoke hung thick in the air, mingling with the dust kicked up by the frenzied movements of soldiers locked in combat. Amidst the chaos, Kaelix led the charge, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of weakness in Mbuzuoria’s faltering lines.

To his right, Theron carved a ruthless path through the enemy ranks. His sword swung in precise, calculated arcs, each strike measured but devastating. Despite the grim setting, a faint glimmer of satisfaction danced in his eyes every time his blade found its mark.

"Kaelix!" Theron called over the din of battle, his voice steady despite the exertion. "Their left flank is crumbling. We push now, and they’ll scatter like leaves in the wind!"

Kaelix gave a curt nod, parrying an incoming strike with a quick twist of his wrist. "Hold them steady a little longer," he commanded, his voice carrying an edge of authority. "We’ll drive them back when the twins break through the center."

And as if summoned by his words, a flash of movement to his left signaled the presence of Julian and Lucian, their identical forms moving with uncanny synchronicity.

The twins fought like a storm , Julian’s wild, reckless swings balanced by Lucian’s calm, calculated strikes. They had carved their way to the heart of Mbuzuoria’s forces, their movements weaving an intricate dance of destruction.

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