章 13: The Final Steps and the Dinner Party

Valen sat in his private study, watching the fading light of day spill over the horizon. His fingers traced the edge of an ornate box on his desk, where the two Mana Dissolving Pills lay waiting.

The moment he had planned for years had finally arrived. The Prime Essence Orbs and Essence Orbs were nearly complete, and his manipulation of those around him had gone flawlessly.

Tonight, he would tie up the last loose ends.

As the shadows lengthened, Valen rose, straightened his robes, and left his chambers. The night had arrived, and with it, Darius and Selene's end.

In the candlelit dining room, the atmosphere was deceptively warm. The long table was elegantly set, and soft music played in the background.

Darius and Selene sat across from Valen, their expressions a mix of cautious curiosity and masked unease. Alaric stood at the far end, always the silent observer.

"Thank you for joining me this evening," Valen said, his voice smooth and welcoming. He poured the drink into four goblets, the dark liquid swirling like secrets within the crystal glasses.

He moved with deliberate grace, masking the true purpose of the night.

Selene forced a smile, her fingers nervously toying with the edge of the tablecloth. Her thoughts raced—Why has Valen invited us here? It's too quiet... too formal.

The last few months had been tense. The children... She tried to push the guilt from her mind, but the faces of those innocent lives haunted her dreams.

I didn't want to do it... but what choice did I have?

She glanced at Valen, his cold eyes unreadable, and a chill ran down her spine. I have to find a way out of this.

On the other side of the table, Darius eyed the glass of drink Valen handed him with a greedy gleam in his eyes.

His ambition had always driven him, and serving Valen had seemed like the perfect opportunity to rise in power. Soon, I'll have enough leverage to demand more from him.

Maybe even a piece of the family's real power.

Darius took the wine without hesitation, but deep in his mind, the smallest seed of doubt sprouted.

Something feels off tonight... but no, Valen wouldn't risk turning against me. Not now. I'm too valuable.

Valen raised his glass and smiled—a gesture so calculated it could've frozen the room. "To success," he said.

The three servants exchanged uneasy glances, but they raised their glasses to meet Valen's toast.

Selene's hand trembled slightly as she brought the cup to her lips, her mind screaming warnings that she chose to ignore.

I'll drink... just this once... then, I'll find a way to leave.

Darius chuckled, the sound hollow in the quiet room, and drained the glass without a second thought. This is it. My reward.

As the drink slipped past their lips, Valen lowered his glass, watching with cold detachment as the poison began to take effect.

It started with Selene. Her fingers tightened around the goblet, her knuckles whitening as she tried to steady herself. A wave of nausea hit her, and she felt her mana slipping away.

Panic surged through her. No... this can't be...

Her throat tightened, and her vision swam as she tried to stand, but her legs gave out beneath her.

What's happening to me? What... what did he do?

She collapsed to the floor, her breaths shallow and rapid, struggling to call upon the mana that was no longer there.

"Lord Valen..." she gasped, her voice a weak rasp. No... he can't do this... he wouldn't. I did everything he asked...

Darius was next. His arrogant smirk faded the moment he felt his mana slip from his grasp. The sensation was like sand falling through his fingers—no matter how hard he tried to gather it, it disappeared.

His chest heaved as he tried to push himself up, but his body was no longer his own to command.

No... no... he wouldn't betray me... not after everything I've done for him! His eyes widened in realization. I'm too important! He needs me!

But Valen's cold gaze never wavered.

Valen stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he watched them writhe on the floor.

Selene's breath came in shallow gasps, and Darius's body convulsed as the last of their mana dissolved, leaving them powerless.

"Thank you both for your service," Valen said quietly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Selene's mind spun, trapped between guilt and horror. All those children... and for what? To end like this?

Valen knelt beside her, his fingers brushing the side of her neck as he whispered the incantation. The words were ancient, dark, and twisted.

As they filled the room, a thin wisp of red mist rose from her body, curling into the air and condensing into a small, glowing orb—an Essence Orb.

Selene's last thoughts were of regret—I should have run. I should have never stayed... before the light faded from her eyes, and her body crumbled to dust.

Valen turned to Darius, whose face was frozen in a mixture of disbelief and terror. The greedy light in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a cold realization.

He played me. He played me all along...

"Power comes at a price," Valen murmured, before repeating the incantation. Darius's body, too, collapsed inward, his form disintegrating into a second Essence Orb.

The room fell silent once more. Two final lives taken—two final pieces of Valen's plan falling into place.

In the corner, Alaric remained motionless, watching the scene with calm detachment. Unlike the others, he had not been given the tainted drink.

His loyalty was sealed by the Oath of Fealty, and he knew better than to question his place.

Valen rose to his feet, holding the two Essence Orbs between his fingers, their faint glow casting shadows across his sharp features.

He turned to Alaric.

"Prepare the ritual site," Valen ordered, his voice quiet but firm. "It's time to finish what we've started two years ago."

Alaric gave a low bow. "As you command, my lord."

Valen glanced at the two piles of ash that had once been Selene and Darius. They had served their purpose, and now, like all pawns, they were discarded.

Valen left the dining hall, his mind already on the ritual and the power that awaited him.

Everything was in place. The sacrifices had been made, the orbs collected. Soon, the First Great Opportunity would be his.

As the door closed behind him, Alaric moved silently to clean up the remains of the evening, his expression neutral, though his eyes lingered on the ashes a moment longer.

He knew what loyalty meant in this world—it meant survival.

And so, he would serve Valen, until the end.