SWDnovel Chapter 427 427 : Trapped
Chapter 427 427 : Trapped
In the heart of the Silvester family's stronghold, under the cover of darkness and secrecy, Ariana and Das moved with cautious haste. Das's initial plan to confront the family head-on had been halted by Ariana's intervention, her knowledge of the family's secrets guiding them through the labyrinthine corridors of the fort.
"War will only lead to bloodshed and this is my family's stronghold. We need a more covert approach," Ariana whispered as they navigated the dimly lit hallways.
Das, though itching for action, nodded in agreement. "It's ok. I will listen to you for now. If things don't work, I always had the chance of revenge."
They reached the princess's room, the door closed and seemingly unguarded. Ariana's hand hovered over the handle. "If we open the secret door behind princess bed, there's a passage leading to the ancient storage, where the crown is kept. But we need the princess. Only her blood can unlock it."
Das's eyes narrowed. "Kidnapping her is risky."
"It's the only way," Ariana replied, her voice laced with a determination that mirrored his own.
Gently, quietly, they entered the room. The princess, asleep in her luxurious bed, was unaware of the impending intrusion into her life. With swift and precise movements, Das secured her, clamping a hand over her mouth as she woke.
"What are you—" the princess's muffled protests were silenced by Das's firm grip.
"I just need your help, princess," Das said with a chuckle, enjoying the fun of forcing a beautiful princess in thin clothes.
The princess struggled, her eyes wide with fear and anger. "My family—"
"We know the risks," Ariana interjected, her voice a mixture of apology and resolve.
As the princess saw Ariana, her eyes went wide with surprise. For a second she thought it is all dream. But the reality hit her painfully.
With the princess in tow, they made their way through the secret passage, a narrow, winding path carved into the very foundations of the fort. It was a descent into the bowels of history, each step taking them deeper into the Silvester family's past.
The ancient storage was a chamber of relics and antiquities, a testament to the family's centuries-long legacy. At its heart stood a pedestal, upon which the crown of the Silvester family lay, an artifact pulsating with a power that seemed almost alive.
His body, though still and seemingly lifeless, was the battleground for an unseen war. Bound by chains that suspended him from the ceiling, his limbs stretched out, Das was trapped in a limbo between consciousness and oblivion.
Inside him, the spirits of a phoenix-like bird and a red snow python clashed in a furious struggle for dominance, their ethereal battle invisible to the onlookers but all too real for Das.
Ariana, the Silvester princess who had defied her lineage to aid this stranger, was confined in a separate chamber, her fate uncertain. The guards who had captured them stood vigilant around the ruins, their eyes never straying from the enigmatic figure of Das.
The Silvester family members, drawn by the news of the unprecedented breach, gathered in the chamber. Whispers and murmurs filled the air, a mixture of awe, fear, and curiosity.
The patriarch, Don Emilio Silvester, stood at the forefront, his gaze fixed on Das. "How did he get past our defenses? No one has ever come this close," he mused aloud, his voice betraying a hint of grudging respect.
One of the guards, a man who had seen many battles, spoke up. "He used no conventional means, my lord. It was as if the forest and the desert themselves granted him passage."
Another family member, a cousin known for her sharp intellect, chimed in. "And what of the princess? Why did she aid him? There's more to this than a simple intrusion."
The room buzzed with theories and questions, but Don Emilio raised a hand for silence. "We will not act in haste. This man, has achieved what none before him could. I wish to know how. And why."
He turned to a guard. "Ensure the princess is well guarded. She will answer for her actions. As for him," he gestured towards Das, "keep him restrained. When he awakens, we will have our answers."
The guards nodded, their expressions a mix of unease and obedience. The chamber, once a place of ancient secrets, had become a stage for a drama that none could have predicted.
The chamber grew quiet, the only sound the soft creak of the chains that held Das. In the dim light, his figure cast a long shadow, a silent testament to the clash of wills and powers that had brought him here.
*This is the scene Thea saw while performing the fate ritual. Das bind in chains.
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