Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 884: Together In This

One moment, the people of Astaria were celebrating the miraculous revival of the Dark Fae Prince, Aldric, their cheers still echoing in the air. The next, those cheers were swallowed by screams, replaced by the deafening sound of chaos.

Terror seized them, as a horde of monstrous creatures invaded Astaria. The joyous arena was now a battlefield. A battle that did not involve just Aldric and Valerie, but the population of Astaria instead.

The monsters that stormed the venue were a terrifying sight to behold. They were grotesque, their green skin glistening under the sunlight. Some were massive orcs with bulging muscles and thick, leathery skin, wielding crude weapons made of stone and iron.

Goblins, smaller but no less menacing, darted through the crowd with jagged teeth, cackling with malicious glee as they tore into their victims. Trolls lumbered across the stands, towering over the fleeing Faeries, their long, clawed fingers tearing through anything in their path. Ogres, twice the size of any Fae, swung massive clubs, smashing through the delicate structures of the arena.

But it wasn’t just their green-skinned terror that caused the Faeries to falter. Pale-skinned banshees floated among them, their ghoulish, almost ethereal appearance deceptive. They seemed harmless until their hollow eyes locked onto a victim. In an instant, their faces contorted from calm to a mask of fury, and their piercing screams ripped through the air, so intense that even the strongest Fae warriors crumbled to their knees, clutching their ears in agony.

More monsters poured into the arena by the second. Half the venue, from the fighting pit to the spectator stands, was filled with these horrors. Faeries fought desperately, but they were quickly overwhelmed.

It soon became clear why the monsters had appeared so suddenly. Among the monstrous ranks were magicians, weaving spells that opened portals. The portals shimmered ominously in the battlefield, a gaping wound in reality through which an endless stream of creatures poured. Astaria’s defenses had been breached, and the city was under siege before anyone could raise an alarm.

Amid the chaos, Aldric grabbed Islinda’s hand, his grip firm as he attempted to steer her to safety. But there was no safe place, not with the monsters already filling half the arena and more coming every second. The city of Astaria was under attack, and nowhere was safe.

"We need to move!" Aldric shouted over the roar of battle, his voice urgent as he slashed through an oncoming goblin with his blade.

Holding Islinda tightly at his side, Aldric surveyed the scene. His eyes darted across the battlefield, taking in the situation. When he spotted the magical rifts and the magicians controlling them, his expression hardened.

"They’re from Tamry Forest!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the din. "The barrier has fallen!"

Even through the frenzy, the Fae heard him. At the mention of the Tamry Forest, real fear settled into their hearts. The forest had been a barrier between Astaria and the dark creatures beyond. Its fall meant the worst had come. Now it was only a matter of time before the monsters overran them completely.

"Protect the king! Protect the king!" came the voice of the general, who had been at the arena for the duel and now resumed his duties with a grim determination.

The king’s knights moved swiftly, forming a defensive circle around King Oberon. They tried to push through the onslaught, but the monsters were relentless.

Just when it seemed they might make it, a magician opened a portal beneath their feet, and half the knights were sucked in, only to reappear on the far side of the arena—right in the heart of the monsters’ ranks. The beasts fell upon them, tearing them apart before they could even react.

The general, seeing the massacre of his men, gritted his teeth and yelled, "Hold your ground! Get the king out of here!"

But it was no use. The monsters’ magicians were systematically picking off the elite knights, sending them through portals or killing them outright. It became clear that the monsters were not just mindless brutes. They were organized, tactical. Their magicians had identified King Oberon as the target. Take out the king, and Astaria would fall.

Aldric, realizing the danger, pushed through the melee, dragging Islinda along. He reached the general and shouted, "They’re after my father! He won’t make it out in time!"

The general’s face fell as the grim truth hit him. He had seen the same thing, but desperation had driven him to try to save the king regardless. But now it was clear—if the magicians weren’t stopped, they would soon get to them and King Oberon would be under attack.

Aldric took charge without hesitation. "Target the magicians!" he commanded. "Take them out, and we cut off their supply!"

The general didn’t object, stepping aside as Aldric assumed control. With new orders, the king’s knights turned their attention to the magicians.

The Faeries’ combined might quickly overwhelmed the enemy spellcasters. One by one, the monsters’ magicians began to fall, their dark portals closing behind them.

With the magicians gone, the relentless stream of monsters slowed, and the attack on the king’s knights halted. The surviving knights regrouped, forming a tighter defense around King Oberon, who remained shielded within their formation.

For now, they had the upper hand, but Aldric knew the battle for Astaria was far from over.

Amid the chaos and violence, Prince Andre suddenly appeared beside Aldric, his arrival so abrupt that Aldric nearly attacked him, instinctively preparing a burst of magic before stopping himself at the last moment.

"I’ve sent word to the palace. Reinforcements are on their way," Andre announced, his face taut with tension. "But the situation is dire. The whole of Astaria is under attack. The barrier has fallen, and the monsters... they’ve evolved, grown stronger during their captivity. They’re out for vengeance."

"Thanks for the update, Prince Andre," the general interjected, his voice steady despite the pandemonium. "But right now, we need to get the king to safety. Our numbers are dwindling fast."

Andre’s eyes hardened with resolve. "I’m here now. Nothing will happen to our father." His voice was fierce, determined. "Theodore is already coordinating with the other courts."

Aldric, still scanning the battlefield, asked, "Where’s Valerie?"

At his question, both Andre and the general paused, their gazes shifting uneasily. It hadn’t dawned on them until that moment—Valerie, the crown prince, was nowhere to be seen. A bitter realization set in. Valerie, who should have been leading the defense, was absent at the most critical moment. The thought left a sour taste in their mouths, but there was no time to dwell on it.

The general shook off the thought and refocused on the task at hand. "The medallions aren’t working," he said, frustration lacing his voice. "I don’t know how, but there’s dark magic in play, blocking our ability to transport the king. Every second we waste here puts him in greater danger."

Aldric’s brow furrowed in thought as he considered their options. The chaos around them was intensifying, monsters pouring through the arena, the cries of wounded fae growing louder. Time was running out, but then an idea sparked in his mind.

"Wait," Aldric said, his voice rising with sudden clarity. "We can’t rely on the medallions, but we can still buy ourselves time. Tell the witches to form a barrier, like they did earlier. Not for the entire arena, just enough to protect the king and the civilians. Once the barrier’s up, we’ll hold the monsters back and give the others time to retreat."

The general’s eyes lit up as the plan sunk in. It wasn’t perfect, but it was their best shot. Without hesitation, he turned to his subordinates, barking orders with the force of someone who knew they were in a race against time.

"Tell the witches to erect a barrier! Now!" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

The soldiers moved swiftly, relaying the message to the few witches scattered across the battlefield. The surviving witches who had been fighting for their lives quickly gathered, their hands moving in unison as they began chanting in an ancient tongue. Magic crackled in the air around them, visible tendrils of energy weaving together to form the protective barrier Aldric had called for.

Aldric then pulled Islinda aside and said, "Once, that dome is up, I want you to go in with the others and stay safe —"

"Not happening!" Islinda said defiantly.

Aldric groaned, "It is dangerous, Islinda, and I cannot lose you."

"I’m not helpless. I have my powers too and Azula would not let me die. So don’t you dare put me aside. It’s the both of us together."

Seeing he wouldn’t change her mind, Aldric gave in reluctantly, "Fine, we do this together, but don’t jump into danger without my guidance."

Islinda nodded.

At once, Aldric took her hand and together, the both of them stopped forward and positioned themselves at the front of the defense, preparing to hold the line against the monsters that continued to flood in.

As the first of the monsters lunged toward them, Aldric and Islinda met their charge head-on. The both of them were a force of nature. Aldric’s blade cut through the air with deadly precision while Islinda’s magic which had taken the shape of her mate’s shadow tore them apart mercilessly. Both of them worked like two oiled wheels and the Faeries couldn’t help but watch in astonishment.

Beside him, Prince Andre fought with equal ferocity, his magic crackling in the air as he unleashed wave after wave of destructive energy, cutting through the ranks of their enemies.

The battle was relentless. The trolls, orcs, and goblins kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless, but Aldric and Andre, along with the remaining knights, held the line. Every second they fought was a second bought for the witches to complete their barrier, and for the king to be secured behind it.

Behind them, the witches’ efforts were beginning to take shape. A faint shimmer of light appeared around the king and the civilians, slowly solidifying into a protective dome. It was done.