The Emperor of Sound: Beyond the veil

The acrid tang of blood still clung to Kairos's tongue, a metallic reminder of the brutal encounter with Valerus. His bones screamed in protest, each joint a throbbing agony. Vision swam, the world blurring into a hazy tapestry of crimson and gray. He stumbled, his knees buckling beneath him, but the girl, the mysterious girl, held him.

"Damnit," he rasped, the word a ragged whisper lost in the echoing grandeur of the throne room.

A blinding flash of white, then sharp, precise movement. Lysander, a whirlwind of silver spear and lethal grace, stood before him. The tied-up girl, the one they'd been battling to at the presence off, was now free. The stolen crown, a shimmering orb of forbidden power, rested safely in Lysander's gloved hand. Valerus, their quarry, lay unconscious at their feet, a broken vessel of ambition.

"I thought I told you to regroup," Lysander's voice was low, a sharp contrast to the usual lighthearted smile that graced her lips. Her expression was grave, a serious mask etched onto her face. "We'll have a long talk later." With a swift motion, she rendered Kairos unconscious, her movements as precise as a surgeon's scalpel.

Lysander's gaze fell upon the mysterious girl. A frown creased her brow, the usual playfulness gone. The air in the room thickened, charged with unspoken tension. They were all hesitant, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Just then, Zephyrus burst through the doors, his face pale, his breathing ragged.

"We need to escape now!" His voice was barely audible, a ragged gasp between ragged breaths. "They got Kairos?" He said in disbelief, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion.

"No, I knocked him out. The idiot was about to use it. He was going to endanger not just us, but everyone within the palace." Lysander said, her voice laced with barely contained anger. "And now we have her to deal with," she said, pointing at the blindfolded girl.

"Illumi has decided to use teleportation. We'll have to hold on for ten minutes." Zephyrus added.

"I can't see through her," Lysander mumbled, her head throbbing. "Let's get this over with."

Lysander drew her spear, a blade of polished moonlight. She moved with the ferocity of a storm, but her strikes were measured, devoid of malice. They were not here to kill, but to retrieve. Zephyrus followed suit, his movements slower, less graceful, but no less determined. The girl, surprisingly, kept pace with them, her movements a mirror image of Lysander and Zephyrus's, her every parry and riposte a dance of impeccable timing.

The battle raged, a whirlwind of clashing steel and unpredictable maneuvers. They were all taking damage, battered and bruised. The girl, however, held an almost unsettling level of precision. The outcome was uncertain, their every blow seemed to strike air; every parry a near miss.

"So that's how it is," Zephyrus muttered, his voice strained. He'd discovered her uncanny ability to mirror their movements, predicting and evading their strikes at the last minute. It was a ballet of death-defying precision, with herself as the lead ballerina.

"Now!" Zephyrus roared, his voice strained with exertion.

Lysander, Zephyrus carrying Kairos, with Astraea in tow, vanished in a flash of white light. They found themselves on a windswept hilltop, overlooking the sprawling city. The air was crisp and cool, a stark contrast to the oppressive heat of the palace.

Kairos was coming to, his head throbbing, his vision still hazy. Exhaustion weighed down on them all. Lysander, her usual radiant energy dimmed, tended to Kairos's wounds. She applied a healing poultice, a sliver of cloth, to the gash across his chest. They'd miraculously packed first-aid supplies.

"We need to return to the palace and get you fixed up," Lysander said, her voice edged with anger and a touch of concern. "What were you thinking?"

"We can't," Kairos gasped, struggling for breath.

"And why is that?" Zephyrus asked, his voice low.

"When I was fighting Valerus, he said that Father... King Owen, has placed a bounty on our heads."

A stunned silence descended upon them. Their father, the beloved King Owen, a bounty hunter? The very idea felt impossible, preposterous.

"That's... that can't be true. Father would never," Lysander stammered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"His is a man capable of anything, lumi. We'll have to investigate and be sure," Zephyrus said, trying to comfort the youngest of their group. Illumi, with her ever present anxieties, was already beginning to feel shaken.

Astraea, still bound and silent, remained a mysterious presence. A low hum emanated from her, a subtle vibration that seemed to pulse with the energy of a hidden power.

"What!?" Lysander asked, her voice suddenly clear and bright. "I couldn't just leave her alone. Besides, who knew what was going to happen to her?"

Illumi stepped forward, cautiously, and ripped the cloth from Astraea's mouth.

"Ehm... thank you for saving me. My name is Lyraea, but you can also call me Astraea, from the runic translation, the star maiden. Yes, I have clairvoyance and the ability of precognition." Her words were measured, and her expression was calm, almost unnervingly so.

They stared at her, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling through them.

"You're quite chatty for someone we just met," Kairos said, finally breaking the awkward silence, his voice still hoarse.

"Oh, first time meeting me, you say? I've had a revelation about all of you before... well, almost, except for the little one," she said, pointing at Illumi.

"Can you tell us why you were in bondage?" Lysander asked, carefully ripping off her restraints.

"Well, you're all after the destruction of the veil, right? How much do you know about it?"

Hesitantly, they recounted everything they knew about the veil, their venture into the forbidden zone. Every detail of their quest was laid bare, each secret revealed.

"I see. Well, the veil can't be destroyed by normal means, but it can be weakened. When that happens, what do you think will happen?"

She looked at them expectantly, then continued.

"It will unleash more dangerous abominations. A veil created by countless sacrifices can only be sustained by one such such means. Now, do you understand my predicament?"

"So you're a sacrifice?" Kairos asked, his voice low.

"No, was. I was the right hand of a priestess, groomed from birth to take on the role of a sacrificial lamb, but here I am," she said, her voice heavy with emotion.

"What else can you tell us? About the veil and more?" Zephyrus asked, pushing Astraea gently.

"Well, I only get fragments of the future. Right now, all I can say is that something interesting lurks within the forbidden zone. I could venture into this adventure with you guys if you secure my protection... or until the world is safe," she said with a hint of something akin to hope.

"Hmm, we'll decide once we find out what you saw in the forbidden zone. I have a feeling it's going to be important," Lysander said, looking at each of them in turn.

"Are you serious about this?" Kairos sneered, his voice laced with skepticism.

"Why not? Not like we can return home without proper research of the truth. This situation is too twisted to make a decision without knowing the truth," Lysander retorted, her tone firm, her eyes filled with conviction.

They knew their father, King Owen, was capable of unimaginable acts. But would he betray them, his own children? How did he inform Valerus so quickly? What was the forbidden zone really? The answers remained shrouded in darkness, yet a sense of grim determination settled upon them.

'I guess we'll just have to figure it out sooner or later. To the forbidden zone it is.'

Of course these questions were left unanswered in Kairos' mind.

With that, the five of them set off again, venturing back into the heart of the forbidden zone. The ominous, eerie feeling of the forbidden zone enveloped them as they ventured deeper into its heart. The unknown weight of the future hung heavy above them. They knew that whatever awaited them, they had to be prepared.