The city of Blackspire erupted in celebration. Word quickly spread that King Maximus had been falsely reported dead and had finally returned to them.
Max sat upon his throne, feeling the cold crystal structure beneath him. It constantly reminded him of Clotilde and her now-unknown fate. The only thing he knew for certain was that both she and the child growing inside her were still alive, as he had not lost access to her bloodline power.
Yet the moment of his defeat continued playing through his mind again and again. He constantly saw Clotilde rushing toward him and remembered trying to reach her, but no matter how desperately they tried, neither of them had been able to reach the other.
Pain was something Max could feel far more clearly than happiness at the moment. The regret of being too weak to protect Clotilde, along with the pain of causing so much worry to everyone who cared about him, continued feeding his desire for greater power.
