Chapter 39: chapter 39

The crowd stood frozen, their eyes glued to the spectacle unfolding before them. The tree barrier, once an impenetrable wall of tangled roots and branches, began to unwind and lower with an almost ethereal grace. A figure emerged from the forest, stepping through the opening like a vision from another world.Ivar, He looked entirely human, yet there was an undeniable aura about him, something that made him seem otherworldly. His pale blue eyes, glinting like shards of ice, captured the attention of everyone present. His striking handsomeness was almost unnerving, as though perfection had been sculpted into his every feature. Gasps rippled through the crowd.General Alrick’s face turned ashen as recognition dawned upon him. He had seen Ivar before. His memories of that encounter now seemed like a half-forgotten nightmare, but they were real, and this moment confirmed it.Among the crowd, one person was more shocked than the rest—Amelia. She couldn’t reconcile the image of Ivar with the reality before her, nor could she comprehend how he and the king had come to be in such fierce conflict.Ivar strode toward the king with a purpose so deliberate it silenced the murmurs of the onlookers. The guards moved to block his path, their spears raised in warning, but the king held up a hand. "Let him pass."Ivar stopped a mere arm’s length from the king. His voice was calm yet carried the weight of authority. "Let her go," he said, gesturing toward Amelia without looking at her. "She has nothing to do with me. I only came out because I won’t stand by and watch an innocent person die because of me."The king leaned forward, his smirk laced with malice. "Is that so? You care about her, don’t you?"Ivar’s jaw tightened, his pale blue eyes narrowing. "I am a protector," he said, his tone sharp. "I care for all human lives. She is no different from anyone else."The king chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "You’re a poor liar. I see through you. If she were nothing to you, you wouldn’t be here. Okay, I will let her go if you give me the Blood Stone you possess."Ivar responded calmly, "It’s not something I can give you; you have to earn the stone yourself."The king smirked. "Very well, I will earn it—and you will help me do so."Ivar let out a cold smirk. "Of course, I’ll help you find the Blood Stone, but only if you let the girl go."The king chuckled, his laughter laced with menace. "There’s a reason I’m called the king. You can’t fool me—I know she’s your weakness. That’s why I can’t let her go. She’s far too important to me. But I won’t harm her, as long as you do as I say. That, I can promise."Ivar’s shoulders squared, and his voice turned deadly. "You think she’s my weakness?" His gaze burned into the king’s, daring him to test that assumption. "Go ahead. Hurt her. I’ll stand here and watch. But you can’t have the stone—I won’t let you."The king’s smirk faltered, doubt flickering across his face. Ivar seized the moment. "know this—if you cross me again, if you push me any further, I will end you. I’m not just a protector. I’m a destroyer, too."A heavy silence settled over the clearing, the weight of Ivar’s words pressing down on everyone present. The king’s confidence wavered, and for the first time, a hint of fear crept into his eyes.Ivar stepped back, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator deciding to spare its prey—for now. "I’m leaving," he announced, his voice carrying across the clearing.As he turned, his gaze flicked to Amelia. For the briefest of moments, his icy demeanor thawed, replaced by something softer, almost regretful. But the moment passed as quickly as it had come.Amelia stood rooted to the spot, her mind spinning. The events of the past twenty-four hours were a blur—too much to process, too many questions without answers.The kings eyes glinted with the malice as he turned to the men restraining Amelia. His voice was cold, cutting through the tense air like a blade " start with her fingers." He commanded " cut them off slowly, One by one."Amelia’s eyes widened in terror, her breaths coming in quick, panicked gasps. Ivar froze mid-step as the king’s cruel words reached his ears. His body tensed, and for a moment, the air around him seemed to shift, growing heavier. Slowly, he turned his head, his pale blue eyes locking onto Amelia. There was no hesitation, no indecision in his gaze—only a fierce, unyielding determination.In one swift motion, Ivar drew his sword, the blade gleaming ominously in the fading light. Its sharp edge seemed to hum with energy, as if responding to the fury coursing through him. Without a word, he charged forward, his movements fluid and precise, like a predator closing in on its prey.The men holding Amelia barely had time to react. The first guard raised his weapon, but Ivar was too quick. With a powerful strike, he disarmed the man, sending his sword clattering to the ground. Ivar stepped closer to Amelia, his gaze softening for the briefest of moments as he looked at her trembling form. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tightly against him. His grip was firm yet protective. The second guard stumbled backward, fear flashing across his face as Ivar advanced with unwavering resolve.Amelia, still in shock, cradled her hand to his chest, her heart pounding as she watched Ivar cut through the guards like a force of nature. Each strike was precise, controlled—not meant to kill, but to incapacitate. Within moments, the men were sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain, their weapons scattered around them.Ivar lowered his sword, his gaze shifting to the king. His expression was calm, but there was a storm behind his eyes, a silent warning that needed no words.The king's eyes narrowed, his fury mounting as he barked the order. "Archers, strike them down!"In perfect unison, the archers raised their bows, the air filling with the ominous sound of bowstrings being drawn. The tension was palpable, and in the next instant, a flurry of arrows was released, slicing through the air with deadly precision.But before the arrows could reach their target, Ivar moved. In a swift and breathtaking motion, his wings erupted from his back. It was black, massive and radiant, casting a luminous glow that seemed to momentarily blind those around him. The crowd gasped in awe and fear, unable to look away from the magnificent sight.With a powerful beat of his wings, Ivar shot into the air, holding Amelia securely in his arms. She clung to him tightly, her heart pounding as the wind rushed past her. The arrows that had been meant to strike them fell down below, unable to match Ivar’s speed and agility.Higher and higher they soared, leaving the chaos behind. From above, the scene below became a blur of confusion and panic, the king’s enraged shouts fading into the distance. Ivar’s grip on Amelia never wavered, his wings cutting through the sky with unrelenting strength as he carried her to safety.