"The third prince and the first princess... I didn't expect to meet such people in this place."
Niall laughed shortly, darting his eyes between Silas and Alice, and then set them to his younger brother, Azazel. He was aware of the achievements and the strength of the Tempest children. Not only they were strong and amazing individually, but they were also smart and had a strong unity.
It was the complete opposite of the royal family in the Hendrik Empire. The imperial palace in Hendrik Empire was full of ambitious individuals. One wrong step and one would fall into someone's trap, pushing them to their demise.
"You..." Azazel breathed out, wide-eyed. "... what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm giving you a farewell gift, brother. Isn't that obvious?" Niall simpered, gazing at Azazel from head to toe slightly. "My brother, you never changed. This is the whole point why I never liked you, you're too... soft."
The crown prince of the vampires tilted his head, looking around at the vampires and werewolves surrounding them. The low growl from the werewolves chorused, but the vampires stood motionlessly. These vampires... who were all against the crown prince's and supported Azazel, were now under his command.
Niall smirked amusingly as his eyes returned to Azazel. "You wouldn't have to be in that state if only you kill these traitors."
"They're not traitors..." Azazel balled his hands into a fist until they trembled, grinding his teeth from anger. "Do not disgrace them further."
"Haha! Azazel, you poor thing..." Niall shook his head lightly, eyelashes fluttering ever so slowly. "How can you say that? I simply came to your rescue out of the goodness of my heart. I mean, if I don't, these people, whom you cherished so much, will end you. Your big brother can't let that happen."
"You've always been the stubborn fool, after all," he continued with a deep sigh, wondering what he would do to this rebellious little brother. "People are there to be used. If they die for you, they died with honor. Thing is, the reason father didn't favor you is because of this thing called... mercy. We don't do that."
Azazel ground his teeth, swallowing down the tension in his throat. Without taking his eyes off of Niall, his lips parted.
"You werewolves better stay out of this. If I were you, leave this place," he cautioned in a stern voice. "That thing over there means we're in Niall's domain. He can hurt you even without lifting a finger... this is deadly for wolves."
"The entire Althea is being swallowed by that thing. Is there a safe place in here?" Alice snorted, casting Azazel a look before shifting her attention to Silas. "Silas, leave the rest to me. Find Hugo and Rinnie. I don't think this man had met them at the agreed meeting place."
"Oh no, don't worry." Niall raised both his hands even before Silas could execute his older sister's orders. "They were on the way here."
A huge smile resurfaced on his face, not a bit worried by what he spoke. One didn't know whether he was this calm because he was that strong or he was simply bluffing. But what was for sure was that Niall... was someone who always had a plan and would always get what he wanted.
"As I've said, I simply came to rescue my brother and to..." he trailed off as the side of his lips curled up into a smirk. At the same time, the vampires, under his spell, pointed the tip of their claws at the side of their necks.
"... and to change the outcome of what happened to Althea. There is no way I would leave with bad news," he continued in the same playful yet alarming tone. "As I've said, Azazel, people are meant to be used. Whether their lives would benefit us or their deaths, use them at your own disposal. That is their purpose, and they should be glad to be part of that purpose."
"And that purpose is?" Azazel spat out through his gritted teeth. "Your Highness, the crown prince, I don't know why Father favored you when you are the very first person he should be wary of."
Niall laughed at his brother's remarks. It was true, and he wouldn't deny that. Even so, he didn't find the need to confirm it, either. What Niall wanted had always been questionable. Although he would always honor the orders of the emperor of the Hendrik Empire, there were instances Azazel questioned Niall's intentions.
Does he truly want the throne? What did Niall want? Power? Influence? Wealth? All those things were already in his name.
"What do you seek, Niall?" asked Azazel with a shaking voice, raising that question he had never asked before. "Just what the hell do you want for you to do all this?"
The crown prince's eyelids drooped until they were partially closed. His vicious smirk remained, studying Azazel from head to toe once again.
"My reason? Do I need one?" he inquired, causing Azazel's eyes to dilate with his pupils constricting. "It was fun, Azazel. Having to decide whether one lives or dies... how one changes their opinions with mere words, and how others think they were above others only to realize things when it already happened. It was fascinating!"
As soon as those words left Niall's mouth, the vampires plunged their claws into her necks without batting an eye. Everyone fell to the ground one after another, flooding the ground with nothing but red, life slipping away.
A true devil.
Someone who didn't have any solid reason for causing mayhem, aside from it being fun. Azazel's breath hitched while Alice and Silas, and the werewolves with them, felt a sense of dread creep up on their spine at the mass suicide that unfolded before their very eyes.
"Your Highness." Cedrick, who was assisting Azazel, held onto him tightly. "You can't…"
"Niall!!!" Azazel's voice shook upon the deaths of his people, fangs growing longer. "I will kill you."
"Oh, sure. But before that…" Niall looked up nonchalantly, simpering as she chanted words under his breath. When he cocked his head back, eyes on his brothers, he smirked.
"… a mass destruction for this useless Althea is a must."
That very second, screams and cries echoed in the still night. Hands from beneath the ground reached out for those who had lives, sucking the life out of everyone in the said country.
Azazel's breath hitched as his entire body shook. "Niall," came out a dead voice, pushing Cedrick off of him.
"Stop it…" he whispered, hearing the screams and cries and agony, as the stench of blood and death wafted his nose. "I said, stop —"
"Silas!" Alice yelled as soon as Azazel bolted to assault Niall but to no avail. Silas wouldn't make it, no matter how fast he was.
As Azazel approached, Niall smirked as he stood still at the coming sword at him. "What a fool… it's disappointing how one loses all their intelligence if someone stirs their emotions a bit."
"Niall!" Just as Azazel reached his arms towards Niall's face, the latter smirked as a dark shroud emanated from his back. But before that dark mist could clutch Azazel like a prey, a figure appeared out of nowhere, kicking his side, causing him to fly away with a bang.
Everything happened so fast that Alice and Silas, and everyone who was there to witness everything, needed a moment to register the turn of events. They blinked countless times, eyes shifting to the figure who sent Azazel flying.
Her amethyst hair seemed to radiate in this darkness. She was small, albeit, her presence brought relief to those who laid their eyes on her.
Rinnie.
As soon as they recognized who it was, everyone's eyes dilated except Niall.
Instead, Niall calmly set his eyes on the side where Rinnie stood. The latter dusted off her thigh before straightening her back, facing the crown prince of the vampire squarely.
"You came… Lamb." He smirked delightfully, eyes full of contempt.
"I did," came out a cold voice, scrutinizing the man who had always watched her from afar.. The side of her lips curled up into a smirk, whistling, "woof."