- 3 hours ago
I Choose That Halfblood Prince - Ep
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The agony of having my divine core ripped out was still tearing through my chest, raw and relentless.
00:05I lay sprawled across the altar as Castian's fingers plunged into my chest without hesitation.
00:10He carefully lifted the core fragment and presented it to the nymph before him.
00:15Lyanna, from this moment on, you are a true goddess.
00:17His voice carried a tenderness I had never once received.
00:20If not for deceiving her into giving up half her divine core, I would not have spared her a second
00:24glance.
00:25He tore out my divine feathers one by one.
00:27He shattered my divine bones inch by inch, and Lyanna looked down at me from above, her smile laced with
00:33poison.
00:34Thank you, sister. Thank you for giving your life to make me whole.
00:38In my previous life, to help the man I had grown up with survive the ninefold thunder trial,
00:42I carved out half of my own divine core with ausitation.
00:46The first thing he did after ascending the throne of storms was drive a blade straight into my heart.
00:51Then darkness, deep as the abyss, swallowed everything.
00:55I snapped my eyes open and found myself standing beneath the vast, radiant dome of Mount Olympus.
00:59Lightning flickered faintly within the clouds above.
01:02Aurelia, give me your answer. Who will be your king consort?
01:05Zeus, king of the gods, sat upon his golden throne.
01:09Hera, seated on her peacock throne, studied me with a gaze that pierced through everything.
01:14In the center of the hall stood dozens of ambitious heirs among the divines.
01:18I am Aurelia, daughter of Apollo, god of the sun, and Eos, goddess of the dawn, the most noble bloodline
01:25on Mount Olympus.
01:27Zeus had once decreed that whoever I chose as my husband would rightfully inherit the supreme throne of storms.
01:33And now, carrying the phantom pain of my torn heart, I had returned to the very moment where fate would
01:38be decided.
01:39Your majesty, I choose...
01:43Wait!
01:44The arrogant voice cut me off without warning.
01:46Cassian stepped forward, wearing the divine blade I had once begged Hepnetus to forge for him.
01:50The most handsome prince on all of Mount Olympus.
01:53The man who had killed me with his own hands in my past life.
01:56Dropping to one noon, he glanced at me with undisguised disdain.
01:59Father, I know Aurelia is hopelessly infamorated with me, but the only one I truly love is Lyanna.
02:03The hall erupted into stunned whispers.
02:05Zeus' face darkened, while the princes who had shown little interest moments ago now watched with burning intensity.
02:11Everyone knew what marrying me meant.
02:13Power, dominion.
02:14But I understand Aurelia cannot live without me.
02:16Cassian adopted a tone of false generosity.
02:19I am willing to show mercy, and allow her to keep her title as princess and remain by my side
02:24as a consort.
02:25Lyanna and I have already sworn a blood oath before the fates.
02:28If I betray her, may I fall forever into Tartarus.
02:31Zeus flew into a rage.
02:32The thunder scepter slammed against the ground, shaking the entire divine hall.
02:36Insolence!
02:37A lowy nymph who stole her place among the divines compare herself to the daughter of the sun?
02:42Cassian turned toward me, impatience clear in his voice.
02:45Aurelia, what are you waiting for?
02:46I have already granted you the honor of staying by my side.
02:49Hurry and thank the king of gods.
02:50I stared at his face.
02:52My fury hardened into a cold, mocking smile.
02:55Lyanna, that nymph.
02:57After the Titan War, my mother gave birth to me on scorched land and hid me in a cave.
03:01That nymph's family discovered my unawakened divine core, and in their madness sent their own daughter to Mount Olympus disguised
03:07as a divine princess.
03:08For a full century, she fed like a leech on the glory and privilege that were meant to be mine.
03:13It was only when the phoenix flame within my fully awakened that her lies were burned away.
03:17My mother, enraged, had intended to bring down divine punishment.
03:22Lyanna fell to her knees, clinging to her ankle and begging for mercy, and somehow managed to cling to her
03:27worthless life.
03:28Her parents, however, were later torn to pieces during a B-spawn attack.
03:31In my previous life, I had even felt guilty for that and yielded to her at every turn, until the
03:36moment I died, when she whispered in my ear with a smile.
03:39The B-spawn had been lured there by her own hand to silence them.
03:43The hatred was so intense, my nails dug deep into my palms.
03:47Golden divine blood dripped onto the polished marble floor.
03:50The phoenix flame within me roared, my skin burning like heated iron.
03:55But I forced the killing intent down.
03:57Death would be far too merciful for them.
03:59I wanted them alive, watching as they sank into endless ruin.
04:02I drew a slow breath, the corner of my lips lifting into a cold, predatory smile.
04:07Your majesty, I have made my choice.
04:10All eyes locked onto me instantly.
04:11Kacian lifted his chin, his face full of a victor's arrogance.
04:14I stepped forward to the throne, etched a name into Zeus' palm with divine power, and conveyed my plan through
04:20divine will.
04:20His pupils tightened slightly.
04:22Surprise flickered for only a moment before turning into cold approval.
04:26Since you have decided I will prepare a wedding unlike any the world has ever seen.
04:30Zeus' sharp gaze shifted past me and struck Kacian.
04:34As for you, return to your palace and remain confined until the wedding begins.
04:38Kacian lowered his head, unable to hide the satisfaction curling at his lips.
04:43He believed this grand wedding was a compromise made for him.
04:47What he did not know was that the bride was not me.
04:50It was that wretched nymph.
04:52When I stepped out of the side hall, Kacian was still waiting in the corridor, with Lyanna clinging to his
04:57arm, looking fragile and pitiful.
04:59Sister, she said as she approached, her eyes shimmering with tears.
05:03Thank you for your generality, for making this possible.
05:06Kacian immediately pulled her into his arms.
05:09Auroraia, Lyanna's parents died because of you.
05:12Shouldn't you at least offer a few relic artifacts as compensation?
05:15I watched the nauseating performance in silence.
05:17Seeing that I did not respond, Kacian's tone softened just slightly, though reluctant languid beneath it.
05:22Aradia, I have one more request.
05:26Lyanna's power is too weak.
05:28She cannot withstand a divine pot.
05:30I need to borrow your divine core.
05:33For a brief moment, my mind rang with a sharp, piercing hum.
05:39I was seconds away from losing control, from letting the flames at my fingertips erupt and reduce them both to
05:44ash.
05:45But that would be far too crude.
05:47Just as the tension thickened into suffocating silence, a low, magnetic voice cut cleanly through it.
05:52Princess Auroraia, His Majesty the King of Gods has sent me to escort you.
05:56The speaker was a young man with black hair and dark eyes, tall and composed, with a pair of partially
06:01formed horns at his crown, a mark of a divine bloodline not yet fully awakened, a symbol of his half
06:06-blood identity.
06:07On Mount Olympus, where bloodline meant everything, he was branded as inferior.
06:12But I remembered him.
06:14Lucian.
06:15In my past life, he had been like a cold shadow, quiet, withdrawn, never seeking favor, always lingering at the
06:21edges, until the day I died.
06:23While the gods stood by and looked upon my corpse with indifference, only he broke through the barriers in a
06:28frenzy and dropped to his knees in the pool of my blood.
06:30His trembling hands gathered what remained of me, and scorching tears fell onto my face.
06:35He buried me at the peak of Mount Olympus, planted a golden apple tree, then drew his sword and alone
06:40and without hesitation, charged toward Cassian's throne of storms.
06:44He went to his death for a woman who had never once truly seen him.
06:47I studied him for a long moment, then the flames around me faded, and I offered him a completely unguarded
06:52smile.
06:53Let's go.
06:54Stop!
06:54Cassian's voice cracked like a whiff as he stepped forward, glaring at Lucian.
06:58You worthless half-flood! What right do you have to stand beside Aurelia?
07:01He is my future king consort. That alone gives him the right to walk at my side.
07:05I did not spare Cassius even a glance.
07:07Instead of throwing a tantrum here, you should go prepare for the ascension trial in five days.
07:11Try not to die in the lightning.
07:13Lucian stiffened for just a moment.
07:14A flicker of surprise crossed his dark eyes, and a faint flush crept behind his ears.
07:19At the mention of the trial, Cassian's anger instantly gave way to arrogance.
07:23A mere divine trial means nothing. Even without your divine core, I will crush it underfoot.
07:27Five days from now, you'd better be ready to become my woman.
07:30I ignored the barking behind me and walked down the corridor with Lucian at my side.
07:34The king of God's plan!
07:36I said, you already know it?
07:38Lucian stopped. Then, without hesitation, he dropped to one knee.
07:42Your highness, I, Lucian, swear this oath before the fates. If I ever betray you in this life,
07:47may my soul essence be torn apart, and may I suffer eternal torment in Tartaros.
07:52A blinding dark gold light burst from his brow and shot into the sky.
07:56Thunder roared across the heavens. This was a supreme law witnessed by Zeus himself.
08:01A vow bound by the soul. Unbreakable. I removed the starfall pendant from my waist.
08:05It was a sacred artifact forged by Selman, goddess of the moon.
08:08I fastened it onto his belt with my own hands. I believe you.
08:12Princess Aurora.
08:13His voice trembled, horsey with emotion.
08:15Even if I burn my bones and blood to nothing, I will never fail you.
08:19My palace stood at the easternmost edge of Mount Olympus, where it welcomed the first light of
08:24dawn each day. At the center of the courtyard grew a golden apple tree, nurtured by my mother
08:29from a branch of Yggdrasil. It symbolized home and sanctuary. For a hundred years, I had tended it
08:35with the light of dawn and nourished it with moonlight until it grew into a towering giant.
08:40But when I stepped through the gates, what greeted me was a silent ruin. My maid, Myra, stumbled
08:46forward and collapsed at my feet. Her translucent wings were tattered, her dress stained with dirt.
08:52Your highness, they cut down your tree!
08:54I shoved the gates open. The golden apple tree, the one that carried a century of my devotion,
08:58had been severed at its base. The massive trunk lay fallen, golden leaves scattered across the
09:02cold stone like divine tears of blood. Golden sap poured endlessly from the wound, while unripe
09:06fruit fell into the dirt, shriveling and rotting in moments. Everything was destroyed.
09:10Slowly, I lifted my head. My eyes burned red with overwhelming fury. Cassian stood casually in the
09:17center of the wreckage, idly twirling the divine blade forged by Hephaestus. Drops of golden sap still
09:23clung to its sharp edge. His expression was relaxed, as though he had nearly crushed an
09:28insignificant insect. What gives you the right to touch my tree? My voice was soft, colder than
09:33winter wind. It was just a useless tree. Cassian shrugged, unconcerned. Lyanna likes lumaine rose.
09:39Starting tomorrow, this place will be cleared and replanted with roses. This is my domain. You are about
09:43to belong to me. Cassian's expression darkened at my defiance. He strode forward, towering over me.
09:48Aurelia, understand your position. If you anger me, I can withdraw my offer to marry you at any time.
09:52When that happens, even if you beg at my feet, I would not spare you a glance.
09:56He was waiting for fear, waiting for submission. But I only looked at him coldly, as if I were
10:00staring at a rotting corpse. Cassian, put away that disgusting arrogance. My future husband could
10:06be a hound from hell, and it still would never be you. For a split second, the killing intent in
10:10my
10:10eyes unsettled him. Then he let out a mocking laugh. Other than me, who on Mount Olympus would dare marry
10:16you? Do not forget the King of Gods personally ordered preparations for our wedding. Of course.
10:21In his arrogance, he believed that grand ceremony was meant for him. He could not possibly imagine
10:25that, on that very day, the bride waiting for him would be the monster he cherished most.
10:30Enjoy your last days of glory, Cassian. I watched his retreating finger, a cruel smile curling at my
10:35lips. In five days, I will show you exactly what it feels like to fall into hell.
10:39Five days later, the Abyss of Thunder. A terrifying chasm carved deep within the mountains of Mount
10:44Olympus, a scar left behind when Zeus split the earth with his thunder scepter. The abyss plunged
10:50endlessly into darkness. The charred rock walls bore the violent marks of ancient lightning strikes,
10:55while within the eternal black, violet gold lightning slithered and hissed like venomous serpents.
11:00The gods had gathered. Zeus sat upon the supreme throne at the edge of the abyss. The twelve
11:05principal gods arrayed on either side, their presence pressing down like a raging sea.
11:10Unexpectedly, Lyanna had dared to come as well. She wore a flowing white gown, her golden hair
11:15adorned with lumina roses, clinging delicately to Cassian's arm as though she were already a crowned
11:20queen. Cassian caught sight of me from afar and immediately strode over with Lyanna,
11:24a confident, calculated smile on his face.
11:27Auroraia, today's trial will depend on the divine core within you.
11:30I answered his shamelessness with silence. Then his gaze shifted past me and froze.
11:35Luian stood quietly at the edge of the abyss. He wore plain black leather armor,
11:39his posture straight as a blade. At his waist hung the starfall pendant,
11:43glowing softly with moonlight. How does a mung like you possess the starfall pendant?
11:47Cassian's veins bulged at his temples, fury nearly consuming his reason. Lucien did not even bother to
11:52draw his weapon. He simply met Cassian's gaze, cold and distant, as though looking at a speck of dust.
11:57Sensing the tension, Lyanna quickly pressed herself against Cassian's arm.
12:00My love, do not be angry. That pendant must be a cheap imitation Aurelia found. A lowly half-blood
12:04like him would probably turn to ash before surviving even the first strike of lightning.
12:09Cassian regained some of his arrogance and let out a cold snort,
12:12casting me a finna-warning glance before tumming away.
12:16The trial began. The son of Ares was the first to leap into the abyss. A deafening roar followed as
12:22violet gold lightning crashed down upon him. His scream tore through the air as he was hurled violently
12:27against the rock wall. The sound of shattering bones echoed clearly. He barely survived the first
12:32heaven's judgment before losing all ability to continue. The challengers that followed fared
12:36little better. The strongest among them managed to endure only three strikes of lightning.
12:42A shadow darkened Zeus's gaze.
12:46Cassian.
12:47At last, it was his turn. Cassian strode into the center of the abyss with absolute confidence. And to
12:53everyone's shock, Lyanna gathered her skirts and followed him. Gasps erupted across the crowd. Even
12:58the original force of the abyss could tear a fragile ninkth apart in an instant. Do not be afraid,
13:02my love. Cassian caressed her cheek. With Aurelia's divine core protecting me, I will not let you suffer
13:07even the slightest harm. Lyanna closed her eyes, deeply moved. Then she opened her mouth and forcibly
13:12adjusted her life core. It was a thumb-sized crystal glowing faintly green. The moment it left
13:16her body, her once radiant skin rapidly withered, turning dull and lifeless. Her golden hair faded to
13:21gray, and deep wrinkles spread across her face like crack bark. Lyanna, have you lost your mind?
13:26Cassian shouted in suscrot. For you, I would give everything. She gasped weakly, forcing a fragile,
13:31sorrowful smile. Completely moved by this twisted display of devotion, Cassia's eyes reddened. He took the
13:37green crystal and fused it into his own heart. Then he raised his head and spread his arms
13:42toward the sky. He intended to summon all nine strikes of the trial at once.
13:49The heavens were instantly swallowed by storm clouds as dark as ink. Violet gold lightning
13:54transformed into colossal dragons, wringling through the sky. The destructive pressure bore
14:00down so heavily that even the assembled gods struggled to breathe. Has he lost his mind?
14:05Zeus rose to his feet, the thunder scepter blazing with light. To invoke all nine heavens judgments at once?
14:11This has never happened in all the history of Mount Olympus. At the center of the storm,
14:15Cassian locked his gaze onto me, his eyes filled with desperate hunger and expectation.
14:19Luria! Give me your divine core! Help me through this trial!
14:23My response was to stand there, arms crossed, cold and unmoving. The phoenix flame within me lay
14:29still, like a silent abyss, offering not even a trace of protection. Cassian's smile frozen.
14:36Auraria, what are you doing? Are you still throwing a tantrum? Do you not want to marry me anymore?
14:43For the first time, the arrogance etched into his face began to crack. Panic spread through him
14:48like poison. If all nine strikes fall, I will be annihilated. Will you really just watch me die?
14:55I remained moanless, like a flawless marble statue. A thunderous explosion shattered the sky.
15:02The first heaven's judgment fell. The violet gold lightning enveloped Cassia instantly.
15:06Amid the deafening roar, his scream tore through the storm. Blinding arcs of electricity scorched his
15:11golden hair and pierced straight through through the armor forged by Hephaedrius. He coughed up a
15:14mouthful of blood, streaked with flecks of gold. The lightning was destroying his divine bloodline from
15:20within. A more horrifying scream followed. Because Lyanna's life core had been fused into Cassian,
15:27the destructive force of the heaven's judgment surged back through the blood oath and struck
15:31her as well. The fragile crystal cracked with a sharp snap, fractions spreading across its surface
15:37before it shattered completely. Her life force drained away like a broken floodgate. In mere moments,
15:43her youthful body collapsed into that of a shriveled old woman, her skin wrinkled and grotesque.
15:48No, do not look at me. My face. Cassius, save me. She wailed,
15:53rizzling on the ground in despair. But Cassius could not even save himself.
15:59He dropped to one knee like a dying beast, his armor shattered, his body torn open with wounds
16:04deep enough to expose bone. There was nothing left of his former pride. He struggled to lift his head.
16:10The arrogance had vanished from his bloodshot gray-blue eyes, replaced by raw, primal fear.
16:14Valyria, save me.
16:17At last, I moved. The sound of my heels echoed against the marble as I walked forward,
16:24one step at a time, toward the edge of the abyss. Hope flared wildly in Cassian's eyes.
16:29Then, before his desperate gaze, I turned cleanly away and walked straight toward Lucian. I took his
16:34hand, large and rough, and laced my fingers with his, raising them high for all to see.
16:39My voice, amplified by divine power, rang clearly across the entire abyss of thunder.
16:45Who said I would marry this worthless man? The only one worthy to be my King Concord is Lucian.
16:51The starfall pendant stands as witness. Silence fell over everything. Then, in the next instant,
16:56an uproar more deafening than the ninefold thunder itself erupted throughout the entire divine hall.
17:01The daughter of the sun chose a half-flood?
17:03Look, that is the starfall pendant of the moon goddess.
17:05Gasps of shock rippled through the gods one after another. At the bottom of the abyss,
17:10Cassian seemed to collapse entirely, as if the strength had been stripped from his bones.
17:14He lay there in despair.
17:16No, that is impossible. The one you loved was me.
17:19Above, the second heaven's judgment had already taken form. It was no longer violet gold,
17:24but a deep violet black. The true color of chaos lightning. A force of absolute destruction.
17:31Aurelia!
17:32His final scream tore out of him like the last cry of a dying beast.
17:39The second strike fell. The violet black storm swallowed him whole. His screams were so agonizing
17:46they sounded as though they came from the deepest fires of hell. When the lightning finally dissipated,
17:51the entire assembly drew in sharp breaths. The once radiant prince now lay like a charred husk in a
17:56pool of blood. His golden hair had turned to ash. His armor melted into his flesh. His limbs twisted
18:01at unnatural angles, and it was impossible to tell whether he still clung to life. Zeus let out a
18:05disappointed sigh. With a light tap of a scepter, the storm cloud's man vanished instantly.
18:11Spare his life. He still carries the blood of the divines.
18:15The king of gods delivered his cold judgment. To everyone's surprise, Cassian's will to survive
18:19flared violently. Dragging his shattered body, he crawled towards me through the blood. Each movement
18:24left a grotex trail set behind him. Then, with a dull thud, he collapsed to his knees at my feet.
18:29The man who had once carved out my heart and killed our unborn child now knelt before me like a
18:34broken
18:34animal. Aurelia, I was wrong. His voice rash like sand scraping against stone. Please, I swear I will
18:42only love you from now on. I looked down at him. The ocean of hatred from my past life surged
18:46within me,
18:46transforming into a cruel sense of satisfaction. Without hesitation, I lifted my boot and kicked
18:50him to the ground. He fell onto his back. His clouded eyes went with disbelief. I bent down
18:54gracefully, my face close to his ear. The stench of burnt flesh nearly made me recoil, but I
18:58maintained a cold smile. Cassian. I whispered softly, so only he could hear. When you carved out my divine
19:05core in our last life, did you ever imagine you would end up like this? His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
19:10Confusion turned to shock, and then to a terror so deep it seemed to drag him into an abyss.
19:15At last, he understood. He was not the only one who had been reborn.
19:20You? You also came back? From that future?
19:23His teeth chattered uncontrollably. I straightened without answering. He collapsed completely,
19:29trembling in the pool of blood.
19:35I turned and took Lucian's hand, firm and warm, pulling him towards the center of the abyss.
19:41Go. This time, I will stand with you.
19:47But his feet did not move. He remained at the edge, as if rooted in place.
19:52What is it? I asked, turning back. Behind us, Cassian suddenly burst into vicious laughter,
19:57clinging to his last shred of hope.
19:59A coward! You chose a worthless man who does not even dare enter the trial.
20:03Lucian ignored him completely. He lowered his gaze to me, those dark eyes deep as endless night,
20:08filled with a kind of quiet, overwhelming tenderness I had never seen in anyone, in any lifetime.
20:13Your Highness, this time, I want to do it myself.
20:15He said, his voice low and steady. I froze.
20:18The fury of the lightning will damage your divine core. I will never allow your foundation to be
20:22harmed. His thumb brushed lightly across the back of my hand, sending a faint shover through me.
20:26Before I could argue, he released my hand. Then he turned, like a warrior stepping onto the
20:31battlefield, and walked straight into the abyss of thunder. When Lucian's tall, dark figure stepped
20:35into the golden pool at the bottom of the abyss. Murmurs rippled through the stands.
20:39A half-blood with impure rensity. How many strikes could he possibly understared?
20:43I heard none of it. Every sense I had was locked onto the man standing below. He stood at the
20:48center of the abyss like an unwielding war god. He removed his heavy black leather armor and cast
20:52it aside, leaving only a thin linen shirt clinging to his body. The golden water soaked through the
20:56fabric, outlining the powerful planes of his chest and the sharp definition of his abdomen,
20:59a form so perfect it would have left even the greatest sculptors in awe.
21:02He closed his eyes, fists clenched at his sides, allowing the power within him to break
21:06free of its restraints. Above, storm clouds gathered once more, but this time there was
21:11no wild lightning. Instead, a suffocating stillness spread through the sky, as if some ancient beast,
21:17slumbering for tens of thousands of years, was slowly opening its eyes.
21:21Only one bolt?
21:22A god scoffered. The laughter died instantly. What formed in the clouds was not ordinary lightning.
21:27It was a pure black bolt that devoured all light, like the primormidial darkness at the
21:31birth of chaos. There was no thunder, no roar, only absolute destruction. As it descend, space itself
21:38tore apart, revealed fractures of shifting color beneath reality.
21:41Primordial lightning.
21:42Zeus rose abruptly from his throne, his expression shaken.
21:46This is lightning from the dawn of the universe. I have not seen it in tens of thousands of years.
21:51The black bolt struck Lucien squarely across the back. There was no explosion, no flame. Only darkness
21:58swallowed him whole. Seconds later, the darkness receded. Lucien still stood. He had not moved a single step.
22:04His soaked linen shirt remained intact, as if what had struck him was nothing more than a passing breeze.
22:10Silence fell. Then, the entire assembly erupted.
22:13Not a single injury? That is impossible!
22:15On the ground, Cassian's face twisted grotesquely with envy and despair.
22:21Lucien did not open his eyes. His jaw remained tight.
22:24The second strike fell. Two bolts of primordial lightning descended together. He stood unmoving.
22:29The third, three bolts intertwined. The fourth, four converged strikes. The fifth, five massive black
22:36bolts wove into a net of destruction, enveloping the entire abyss of thunder. Even the unbreakable
22:41rock walls began to collapse. At last, blood appeared. Black arcs scorched his bronze skin,
22:47leaving terrifying marks. Crimson seeped through his clothing. His brow tightened. His teeth clenched.
22:53Clearly enduring agony that tore at the soul itself, yet he did not make a sound. The fifth
22:58strike ended. I thought he would stop there, just as he had in my previous life. Enduring five
23:03heavens judgments alone was already enough to elevate him among the greatest on Mount Olympus.
23:08But he did not move. He stood like an indestructible blade embedded in scorched earth.
23:13I stepped forward before I realized it. A tremor in my voice I did not recognize.
23:17Lucien?
23:18He opened his eyes slowly and looked at me from afar. Blood streaked across his sharp features,
23:22yet he gave me a faint smile, wild and gentle at once.
23:26Your Highness, I can still fight.
23:30The sixth heaven's judgment descended with catastrophic fury. Six bolts of primordial
23:35lightning merged into a single pillar of darkness, as vast as a column holding up Mount Olympus itself,
23:40and crashed down. The space around it groaned under the strain. The beam swallowed him entirely,
23:46and my heart clenched violently. When the light faded, Lucien was on one knee. His body was torn
23:52with deep, jagged wounds. Blood poured from him, staining the golden pool, a dark crimson. His face
23:58was pale, his muscles trembling from exhaustion. Yet he planted his hands against the ground and
24:02forced himself upright. He did not fall. Six strikes of primordial lightning, a feat unmatched in
24:07thousands of years among the divine. Zeus trembled with excitement upon his throne.
24:10Good. Excellent. This is the true brilliance of the divines.
24:14Lucien breathed heavily. Though his movements were slow, he maintained the dignity of a warrior.
24:18My thanks, Your Majesty.
24:19Turning toward Zeus, he bowed his head. He began to leave the abyss,
24:22dragging his blooded body behind him.
24:24Wait.
24:24I loosened my outer robe and stepped past the boundary of the abyss without hesitation,
24:29entering the battlefield he stood in.
24:31Your Highness.
24:33For the first time, fear appeared in Lucien's dark eyes.
24:36I walked straight to him and took his burning hand, ignoring the blood that covered him.
24:41Do not be afraid. I looked up at the storm clouds still churning above. Three strikes remained.
24:46Aurea, have you lost your mind?
24:49Zeus's voice thundered overhead.
24:51The fire within you is the origin of divine flame. If it is damaged…
24:56I ignored him. Closing my eyes, the phoenix flame within me erupted like a waking volcano.
25:02Golden red fire surged into the sky, forming a great phoenix that spread its wings around us,
25:08shielding us both. The seventh heaven's judgment roared as it descended.
25:13Seven bolts of primorval lightning merged into a monstrous dragon,
25:17its abyssian jaws wide as it roared and plunged downward.
25:21Lucien instinctively tried to pull free from my grasp to shield me with his body,
25:24but I tightened my hold, our fingers locked together.
25:27This time, we face it together.
25:29The black lightning dragon swallowed us whole.
25:33Pain beyond words tore through every nerve.
25:35Primordial lightning rampaged through my veins,
25:37clashing violently with the divine flame at my core.
25:40It felt as though my bones were being crushed piece by piece.
25:42I bit down hard enough to taste blood.
25:44Driven by sheer will, the phoenix flame surged,
25:46wrapping itself around the destructive force and forcing it, little by little, into submission.
25:50When the lightning faded, we were still standing,
25:53our hands still tightly joined.
25:55Lucien's voice was hossy with pain.
25:59Your highness, your hand.
26:02I glanced down.
26:03Dark, charred cracks had spread across the back of my hand,
26:06golden divine blood seeping through.
26:08I wiped the blood from my lips without concern.
26:11It is nothing.
26:13Two more remain.
26:14The eighth heaven's judgment descended.
26:16Eight bolts of black lightning wove together into a vast net of darkness,
26:20sealing off the sky as it crashed down.
26:23The pain was ten times worse than before.
26:26A sharp fracture rang from my divine core as fine cracks spread across it.
26:30The phoenix flame flickered violently on the verge of collapse.
26:34My vision blurred, but I did not let go.
26:36Lucien's grip tightened around mine like iron.
26:39A force both fierce and strangely gentle surged through our joined hands, pouring into my body.
26:44We endured the eighth strike.
26:46My skin was covered in fractures like shattered porcelain.
26:50Luian was worse, drenched in blood as though he had risen from a crimson abyss.
26:55Yet when he looked at me, his eyes burned like living stars.
27:01The ninth strike.
27:03The final judgment.
27:04The storm clouds contracted violently, compressing all their destructive power into a single point.
27:10What emerged was a thread-like black needle, so fine it was nearly invisible.
27:14Zeus rose abruptly.
27:17His expression shaken.
27:19That is the needle of chaos.
27:21Auraria, leave the abyss immediately.
27:23I did not retreat.
27:24Instead, I stepped forward, placing myself slightly ahead of Lucien.
27:28The black needle pierced through the phoenix flame effortlessly.
27:33It tore through my flesh and bone, driving straight into my core fragment.
27:37A sharp crack echoed.
27:39Fractures spread through my divine core like a collapsing canyon.
27:44Pain surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming everything.
27:48At the moment my core was about to shatter completely, Lucidian let out a wild roar.
27:57He pulled me into his burning embrace, pouring all of his soul and power into me.
28:02His strength was fierce, yet impossibly gentle.
28:06Wrapping around my breaking core, forcing it back together, reshaping it.
28:11He was willing to drain every drop of his divine blood to keep me alive.
28:15The ninefold thunder trial was broken.
28:19The storm clouds vanished in an instant, replaced by a radiant golden light that pierced the heavens.
28:25It was Zeus's blessing.
28:27Divine power flowed over us like long-awaited rain, repairing our bodies.
28:31Within my restored divine core surged a terrifying new strength.
28:35Lucien's transformation was even more astonishing.
28:37The small horns atop his head grew rapidly, forming majestic dark gold crown horns.
28:43His tattered clothing turned to ash, replaced by a suit of black armor etched with flowing ancient runes.
28:50An ancient, primordial pressure awakened within him.
28:53A presence powerful enough to rival Zeus himself.
28:58The gods fell into stunned silence.
29:01Even Hera's eyes flickered with unease and shock.
29:04In the distance Cassian lay collapsed, like a lifeless husk, his spirit utterly broken.
29:09This was no inferior half-blood.
29:12This was the purest, direct lineage of the primordial god Uranus.
29:16Older and more noble than any bloodline present,
29:20Zeus descended from his throne, something he had never done before, and approached the edge of the abyss.
29:25My child, from this day forward, you are the first heir to the throne of storms.
29:30Your grand wedding with Aurelia will be held in three days.
29:35Lucien dropped to one knee, offering a flawless knight's salute.
29:39I submit to your will, your majesty.
29:41I stood beside him, watching as the man who had once lingered in shadows finally stepped into his rightful light.
29:48The frozen weight of hatred that had bound my heart across lifetimes quietly melted away,
29:53undone by his unwavering devotion and quiet resolve.
29:56Three days later, Mount Olympus welcomed the most extravagant wedding in thousands of years.
30:02The entire divine mountain shimmered beneath radiant magic.
30:06In the courtyards, golden fragments of starlight hung from every branch,
30:10while garlands woven from lumina roses and laurel leaves stretched for miles.
30:14The fates themselves appeared in divine form to bestow their blessing,
30:18and the nine muses played golden harps,
30:22their voices carrying songs of eternal love.
30:25I wore a wedding gown woven by my mother from the very first light of dawn.
30:30Its long trail burned with sacred golden fire borrowed from my father's chariot of the sun,
30:37dazzling beyond words.
30:39At the far end of the crowd, Lucien walked toward me with steady steps.
30:43He wore a sharply tailored black suit, the starfall pendant resting at his waist.
30:48In his dark, endless eyes, there was no trace of gods or power.
30:53There was only me.
30:56He knelt before me, gently lifting my hand.
30:59My princess, will you allow me to be your blade and your shield,
31:04and walk eternity at your side?
31:06I clasped his hand in return, my fingers brushing the callies on his palm.
31:10I will.
31:10The moment our vows were sealed, a rain of golden light poured from the heavens.
31:16Fate itself had been rewritten.
31:18The celebration lasted for three days and nights, the laughter of the gods nearly shaking the stars themselves.
31:24On the final night, Lucien took my hand and led me away from the noise, into the palace gardens.
31:28I stopped suddenly, covering my lips in disbelief.
31:31Where ruin had once stood, a new golden apple tree had grown, already taller than both of us.
31:37Beneath the silver glow of the moon, it shimmered softly, its branches full.
31:41A few young golden fruits, already beginning to form.
31:45I went to your mother and asked for a new branch of Yugdura.
31:48Lucien wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin lightly against my shoulder.
31:51His breath carried a faint trace of wine, his voice quieter than usual, almost shy.
31:54I am sorry.
31:55I used all my strength, and this is as far as I could grow it.
31:59My princess, can you wait for it to grow taller?
32:02Memories of the past flooded my mind.
32:04The shattered golden leaves, the tree that had been cut down without mercy.
32:09And now, this man had rebuilt it with his own hands.
32:13He had given me a home again.
32:15I turned, wrapping my arms around his neck, rising onto my toes as I pressed my lips to his.
32:21He froze instantly, rigid as stone.
32:23But after a brief moment, restraint gave way.
32:26His hand slid to the back of my head, pulling me closer,
32:28while his other arm tightened around my waist, drawing me firmly against his chest as the kiss deepened.
32:34Beneath the newborn golden apple tree, even the stars faded into the background.
32:38When the kiss ended, I rested against his chest, listening to the powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
32:45I like it.
32:47He said nothing.
32:48He simply buried his face in my hair and held me tighter,
32:52as though I were something he had lost once and finally found again.
32:56All the defenses I had built, all the sharp edges I carried, quietly fell away within his embrace.
33:03The seventh day after the wedding, I reclined langely on a chaise in the courtyard,
33:07sipping divine wine from a crystal glass.
33:09Every morning, Lucien would nourish the golden apple tree with his powerful chaos energy.
33:13In just seven days, it had already grown several feet taller.
33:15Your Highness!
33:17Cassian and that Lyanna have come.
33:18They have been kneeling in the mud out outside the palace gates for an hour.
33:21I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, a cruel smile curling at my lips.
33:26At last, drag them in.
33:28Moments later, two miserable figures wrapped in tattered black cloaks were thrown into the courtyard like refuse.
33:35Cassian reeked, barely able to stand.
33:39Lyon lay sprawled on the ground like a lump of decay.
33:42The skin at her neck shriveled and lifeless beneath her cloak.
33:47Kneel properly.
33:48My voice was cold.
33:50Cassian stiffened instinctively, his old arrogance flickering for a moment before collapsing.
33:55His knees slammed onto the marble.
33:57Lyanna did not even dare lift her head.
34:01Cassian trembled as he pulled back his hood.
34:03The face that had once captivated countless admirers was now ruined.
34:07His golden hair had nearly all fallen out, what remained thin and ragged.
34:12His pale skin had turned a sickly gray-green, and from his neck to his cheeks, slick scales had begun
34:17to grow.
34:18The Heaven's Judgment had not only destroyed his divine core, it had twisted his bloodline.
34:23He was devolving into something base.
34:26Something like a fish.
34:28Cassian suddenly snapped, yanking Lyanna's hood away.
34:31Aurelia! I was cursed by this wretched woman!
34:34Lyanna let out a shrined scream, desperately trying to cover face.
34:38Too late.
34:39Her face was that of a withered corpse.
34:41Skin cracked like dead bark.
34:43Sparse white hair clung to a markled scalp.
34:46Her clouded eyes bulging outward in a grotesque stare.
34:51Cassian shouted frantically.
34:53It was her!
34:54She cast a vile love-cursed on me.
34:56Clouded my mind.
34:58The one I truly loved has always been you, Aurelia.
35:01He struck Lyanna across the face, sending her flying.
35:04Then he lunged at her like a mad beast, fists raining down.
35:09If it were not for you, I would not have lost everything.
35:12Die! Die!
35:14You are lying!
35:15Cassian, you said it yourself!
35:16If I helped you trick a variant to giving up her divine core, you would make me queen!
35:21Lyanna curled on the ground, spitting blood mixed with broken teeth.
35:24Her voice distrulled with hatred.
35:25Shut up!
35:26Cassian roared, panic flooding his voice.
35:28She screamed back.
35:29What did you say when you were on top of me?
35:32You said Averlia was nothing but a tool to you.
35:34That once you had her divine core, you would snap her neck with your own hands!
35:39Cassian's face drained of all color.
35:42His fists fell harder, striking her again.
35:45I will kill you, you lying ret.
35:47I watched the farce with mild interest, until boredom crept in.
35:52Enough!
35:53The word was quiet, yet carried absolute authority.
35:57Cassian stopped immediately.
35:58He crawled toward me on his knees like a beaten animal.
36:02Aurelia, you heard it all.
36:03I am innocent.
36:04Give me another chance.
36:05Let me stay by your side.
36:07Lifting his scaled face and desperate feet, he reached out with those webbed, repulsive hands,
36:12trying to grasp the hem of my dress.
36:15These were the same hands that had driven a blade through my chest, the same hands that had held another
36:21woman while mocking me.
36:23I lifted my foot, clad in golden armor, and crushed it down on the back of his hand.
36:32The crack of breaking bone rang out, followed by his scream.
36:36Cassian, do not hide behind talk of curses.
36:38That magic only worked because your heart was already twisted by greed for power.
36:42You did not love her, and you never loved me.
36:44You only desired my divine core.
36:46In this life, you have loved no one but yourself.
36:49His face turned ashen, his body trembling as though plunged into ice.
36:53No, that is not true.
36:55I withdrew my foot and wiped my boot with a silk cloth in disgust.
36:58Get out!
36:59You and your precious nymphs can rot together in the mud, tormenting each other until there is nothing left.
37:04I waved a hand.
37:06Throw them out.
37:07Spread the word.
37:08Anyone who dares approaches my palace again will be executed.
37:12The guards dragged them away roughly.
37:14Aurora, you cannot be this cruel.
37:17Cassian's screams echoed through the corridor.
37:20Lucian stepped out from the shadows and, with practiced ease, pulled me into his broad, warm embrace.
37:26His thumb brushed lightly against the back of my neck.
37:30Did that disgust you?
37:31I leaned into his chest and let out a quiet breath.
37:34I was just thinking.
37:36In my past life, he never once spoke of love to me.
37:39Now that he has fallen from everything, he suddenly can't stop saying it.
37:42Lucian's voice was low and cold.
37:45Because those cheap lies are all he has left.
37:48Only cowards beg with false tears after losing everything.
37:52I tilted my head up to look at him.
37:53His sharply defined jaw was tense, his dark eyes devoid of any hunger for power.
37:58There was only an intense, unyielding possessiveness towards me.
38:02Will you always love me?
38:03I looped my arms around his neck.
38:05He lowered his head and pressed a burning kiss to my forehead.
38:11Until the universe collapses and time itself ends.
38:16That night, I dismissed everyone and entered the heavily guarded divine treasury alone, carrying a lantern.
38:23Moonlight filtered through the glass dome above, illuminating rows of divine artifacts.
38:28These were all items I had once bestowed upon Cassius, now reclaimed after his fall.
38:33The blade forged by Hephaestus, sacred water from Athena, the golden apple of Aphrodite.
38:39My fingers taste lightly over the cold metal before finally stopping on a chain that glimmermed with a chilling silver
38:46light.
38:46The gods bear chain.
38:48A tool used to bind and torment lesser divines.
38:52Once, Cassian had asked me for it, claiming it was for Lyanna's protection.
38:56I lifted the chain, weighing it in my hand, then deliberately placed it in the most visible spot near the
39:03ventilation opening.
39:04The next morning, Myra rushed in, flustered.
39:07Your Highness! Someone broke into the treasury last night. It was that old witch Lyanna. She stole a silver chain!
39:13Is that so?
39:14I set down my golden cup, a knowing smile curling at my lips.
39:17Let her take it. The bait has been taken.
39:20Three months later, a scandal swept across Mount Olympus like a storm.
39:24Cassian was dead. He died in a remote, barren ditch granted to him by Zeus.
39:29His body was found floating in the foul water, completely decayed, reverted to its base form.
39:34A palm-sized golden carp covered in cresting soils.
39:36The remnants of his divine core had been forcibly carved out.
39:39The killer was Lyanna.
39:41The powerless nymph had, under the cover of night, used the stolen gods bond chain to strangle Cassian,
39:49until he stopped breathing.
39:50Then she tore open his chest and dug out the ruined core, attempting to devour it to restore her beauty
39:56and power.
39:57But she was a fool.
39:59Cassian's core had already been destroyed by the Ninefold Thunder Trial, saturated with violent, chaotic energy.
40:05The moment she swallowed it, that power erupted within her, tearing her apart from the inside.
40:10She died.
40:13Her corpse reverted to its true form, a grotesque water spirit.
40:16She sprawled in the foul mud by the stream, its shriveled scales falling away, hollow eyes staring blankly at the
40:21ashen sky,
40:22its mouth and nose filled with filthy slum.
40:23It was said that when she died, she still clutched the godsbane chain in her hand.
40:28The barbs had pierced deep into her bones, fused with her rotting flesh, impossible to remove.
40:32It was also said that as she drew her final breath in the mire, she cried out for her mother.
40:36The very mother she had once lured beasts from to devour, just to bury her own lives.
40:42When I heard the news, I was resting in Lucian's arms beneath the lush canopy of the golden apple tree.
40:47Myra described the gruesome scene in vivid detail, her tone filled with satisfaction.
40:50Lucian set aside the parchment in his hand and looked down at me.
40:53What are you thinking, my princess?
40:54I met his gaze, my smile bright as dawn.
40:57I was thinking of a joke.
40:58There is a flower in the mortal world called Lumina Rose.
41:01Lyanna loved adoring herself with it.
41:03Lucian raised a brow slightly.
41:05And?
41:05I have already sent people to plant fields of Lumina Roses all around the muddy pit where she was buried.
41:10He paused.
41:12Then a low, rich laugh escaped his chest.
41:14The expression in his eyes softened, filled with indulgence.
41:18He reached out and ruffled my hair.
41:20My princess, you grow more resistible by the day.
41:22I smiled and closed my eyes, resting my cheek against his warm chest.
41:26Sunlight filtered through the golden apple tree, and his embrace felt warmer than the sun itself.
41:30The hatred that had clung to me across lifetimes finally faded away within this quiet, peaceful world.
41:35Time passed swiftly.
41:36To the gods, a century was no more than the blink of an eye.
41:39The golden apple tree, once regrown from a single branch, had long since surpassed its former glory.
41:43Its massive trunk required three people to encircle it, its dense canopy stretching wide enough to block out the sky.
41:49The golden fruit it bore shimmered beneath the sunlight like countless miniature suns.
41:53Over the past hundred years, Lucien, as the first heir to the throne of storms, had worked decisively alongside Zeus
41:59to restore order to Mount Olympus.
42:01With overwhelming strength and unyielding justice, he earned the respect and awe of every god.
42:06Even Hera, known for her sharp tongue, once declared before the pantheon,
42:10Lucien is more worthy of that supreme throne than any other.
42:16The mystery of his origins had also come to light.
42:19His mother was no mortal woman, but the last sacred guardian of the lineage of the primordial god Uranus.
42:26To escape those who hunted her, she hid among mortals with Lucien in her arms, until Zeus's vengeancely discovered them.
42:34As for me, my power had undergone a transformation after enduring the primordial lightning alongside Lucien.
42:40My phoenix flame and his chaos lightning fused perfectly, evolving into something entirely new.
42:46Thunderflame.
42:47It carried both the endless vitality of rebirth and the absolute destructive force of chaos.
42:52The storm phoenix.
42:54Every spring in the mortal world, Lucien and I would leave behind the rigid formality of Mount Olympus and wander
42:58as we please.
42:59Sometimes we searched hidden valleys for trace of Lumita roses.
43:02Other times, we simply sat side by side atop a solitary snow-covered peak, sharing a flask of divine wine
43:07as we waited for the sunrise.
43:08Whenever I grew drowsy against his shoulder, he would gently pull me into his arms, shielding me from the cold
43:13winds with his cloak.
43:15You are the future king of gods.
43:17I teased him more than once.
43:19Why do you spend your days like a wandering poet?
43:22Each time, he would press a soft kiss to my temple and give the same answer.
43:26No throne weighs more than being by your side.
43:28One day, I stood beneath the towering golden apple tree, gazing up at the fruit that glittered like stars.
43:35Lucien came up behind me without a sound.
43:37His strong arms wrapping firmly around my waist, his chin resting against my shoulder.
43:43The scouts have returned, he said, his voice low and warm.
43:47In the eastern continent, the Lumina roses are in full bloom this year.
43:51Entire mountains covered, like a sea of violet stars.
43:55Do you want to go see them?
43:59I turned to meet his glaze.
44:02A hundred years had left no mark upon his perfect features, only deepening the calm authority that came with power.
44:10Yet the way he looked at me had never changed.
44:13It was the same as it had been on that long day in the abyss of thunder.
44:16Intense.
44:17Unwavering.
44:18Certain.
44:19Of course.
44:20I said with a smile.
44:22We became two streaks of light, cutting through the layered clouds of Mount Olympus, crossing the vast rolling waves of
44:28the Aegean Sea, and finally descended into a quiet Neymane Valley eastern continent.
44:32Just as the scouts had said, Lumina roses bloomed wildly across the mountains.
44:36Under the soft glow of moonlight, their violet petals shimmered with a dreamlike radiance, like a flowing galaxy.
44:41The evening breeze stirred the endless sea of flowers into gentle waves, their soft rustling like a lullaby whispered by
44:46the earth itself.
44:47Lucian held my hand firmly as we walked deeper into that violet dream.
44:52Aurelia.
44:52He suddenly stopped, his voice carrying a rare tension.
44:56What is it?
44:57He turned to face me.
44:59The pale moonlight traced a silver edge along his tall, powerful form.
45:02Then the man who commanded the awe of all gods knelt before me, carefully, almost nervously.
45:08He drew out a ring from within his inner robe.
45:10It was not a divine relic adorned with jewels.
45:13It was a simple band, shaped from wood, its surface carved with two overlapping leaves.
45:18I cut a branch from the golden apple tree and carved this myself.
45:22His ears had turned faintly red, and for once, he avoided my glaze.
45:26It has been a hundred years.
45:28I still owe you a real wedding ring.
45:30I read the records of mortals.
45:32In their world, a ring represents eternity, without beginning nor end.
45:35At last, he lifted his eyes to meet mine.
45:38They burned with sincerity and quiet longing.
45:41Aurelia.
45:42Will you marry me again?
45:44Not for the throne of storms.
45:45Not for the alliance of the divines.
45:47Only because I am Lucian, and you are Aurelia.
45:51I looked at the simple wooden ring in his hand.
45:53It held none of the brilliance of the starfall pendant.
45:55None of the sharp perfection forged by the god of craftsmen.
46:00It was only a piece of wood, shaped with patience and care into a circle that symbolized forever.
46:05And yet, in that moment, it was more precious than any crown in existence.
46:09I slowly extended my left hand, my voice trembling with emotion.
46:13I will.
46:14His fingers shook slightly as he slid the ring onto mine.
46:17The rough grain pressed against my skin, warm with his touch.
46:20In the next instant, he rose and pulled me tightly into his arms, his hand firm at my waist as
46:24he kissed me deeply.
46:25It was a kiss that bound soul and flesh together.
46:27Around us, the lumina roses swayed gently, their violet glow surrounding us like a tide of light.
46:32The moon hung high above, the stars bearing silent witness.
46:35Far away, the lights of Mount Olympias fleckered against the night.
46:37The gods might still be celebrating, the muses still singing, the fates still weaving their endless threads.
46:41And I, after enduring betrayal, pain, and fire, had finally found my eternity in the arms of the man before
46:47me.
46:47Later, my maid Myra once asked me,
46:49Your Highness me, you and Prince Lucio planted another golden apple tree in the mortal world.
46:54Why does it never grow any taller?
46:56I looked at the wooden ring on my finger and smiled.
46:59Because it does not need to grow anymore.
47:01Why not?
47:02She asked, puzzled.
47:04Never told her the answer.
47:05But I knew it well.
47:07Because a true home is never a cold palace, nor a towering divine tree.
47:12A home is a person.
47:13The one who will draw his blade and stand alone against the throne of gods when the world casts you
47:18aside.
47:19The one who will protect your shattered soul even at the cost of his own destruction.
47:22The one who, after gaining everything, will still carve a simple root for you with his own hands.
47:27The one who promises to love you for a hundred years, a thousand years, ten thousand years, and proves it
47:32with his life.
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