[The Western Cliffs — Continuation]

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!

The mountains shattered.

Entire sections of the western cliffs exploded apart as two colossal serpent bodies collided violently beneath the darkening skies.

Silver scales crashed against corrupted black-and-silver flesh while imperial pheromones tore across the atmosphere like storms unleashed from ancient heavens.

The desert below trembled violently because the mountains themselves were collapsing. Meanwhile farther across the rocky hills, Lyresaph suddenly paused mid-run, blue eyes narrowing sharply toward the distant cliffs.

Levin immediately noticed. "...Lyresaph?"

The dragon growled low and uneasily. Dangerously uneasy. Then another explosion thundered across the mountains.

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!

Stone avalanches crashed endlessly downward while black smoke swallowed entire cliffsides.

Levin’s blue eyes widened.

"...what is happening?"

Lyresaph growled again, this time louder and urgently. Then Levin slowly turned toward the distant destruction, and immediately his chest tightened painfully as he said, "Lyresaph...let’s go there."

The dragon instantly roared in agreement. Asha blinked and then turned sharply toward the collapsing mountains. And moments later they arrived. The moment Levin saw the battlefield, fear gripped him completely.

Because before him, Zeramet and Slyvarakh were no longer fighting like serpents; they looked like gods destroying each other.

Massive silver bodies tore through mountains violently. Every collision shattered cliffs, every roar shook the skies, and every movement carried enough force to kill armies.

And for the first time Levin realized something horrifying. Zeramet had never once shown him his true power before.

Not even close.

Then suddenly Slyvarakh laughed; the sound echoed monstrously across the ruined cliffs as black smoke exploded from between his corrupted scales.

"My dear brother...you truly still refuse to accept it."

FWOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!!!

The skies darkened instantly, and then something impossible appeared. Silver symbols, ancient symbols. Dozens of glowing silver markings spread across the air itself around Slyvarakh.

Rotating slowly and wrongly. As though reality itself rejected them. Levin’s breathing stopped because the moment those symbols appeared, the entire atmosphere changed, cold, dead, and rotten.

Meanwhile, Zeramet’s golden eyes widened instantly.

"No—"

But too late. Slyvarakh’s silver eyes gleamed monstrously.

"Bow."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!

An invisible force exploded across the cliffs. Immediately Zeramet roared in agony; his massive silver body crashed violently against the mountainside.

CRAAAAASSSHHHHH!!!

Entire cliffs shattered beneath him. Levin’s eyes widened in horror.

"ZER—!"

Meanwhile, black-and-silver pheromones erupted from Slyvarakh like poisonous storms. But unlike ordinary imperial pheromones, these felt horrifying and wrong.

The very rocks touching the black mist began decaying instantly. Stone cracked; even the skies above darkened unnaturally.

Then suddenly Slyvarakh lunged downward, fast. Far too fast before Zeramet could recover, the corrupted serpent slammed directly into him.

BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!

Massive jaws snapped near Zeramet’s throat viciously, and his blood exploded across the cliffs. And for the first time Levin heard Zeramet scream.

Actually scream.

The sound shattered something inside him instantly. Meanwhile, Slyvarakh’s silver eyes glowed wildly, almost ecstatic.

"There it is..." He whispered near Zeramet’s throat. "...the sound I missed hearing most."

Then violently he bit downward near Zeramet’s neck.

CRUUUUUNCHHHHH!!!!

Thick red blood exploded everywhere. Zeramet roared violently in pain; the mountains trembled beneath the sound. Then with horrifying force Slyvarakh wrapped his corrupted body around Zeramet and hurled him directly across the cliffs.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

The emperor’s gigantic silver body crashed through multiple mountainsides before falling downward toward the lower ravines. Stone avalanches thundered endlessly after him.

And Levin froze for one second; his entire world stopped because the impossible had just happened.

Zeramet, the terrifying emperor of Zahryssar, had been overpowered, and then suddenly Levin screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO—!!!"

Without hesitation, he rushed forward desperately across the collapsing cliffs. Ignoring the falling debris, the poisonous smoke, and the monstrous serpent still towering above the battlefield.

Because at that moment Levin no longer cared about fear, divorce, politics, or imperial secrets. All he knew was Zeramet was hurt.

And that alone was enough to destroy all reason inside him completely. Meanwhile, above, Slyvarakh slowly turned his silver eyes toward Levin and smiled because this exact moment was what he had wanted from the beginning.

The cliffs trembled violently beneath Levin’s feet as he ran closer desperately. Meanwhile, far below, Zeramet’s massive silver body struggled weakly against the collapsing mountainside. Blood continued pouring from the wound near his throat endlessly.

Then slowly, painfully, the emperor’s golden eyes began closing. Levin froze instantly.

"...no..."

The silver serpent’s claws slipped against shattered stone, and then his gigantic body finally lost balance completely.

CRAAAAASSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!

Zeramet disappeared over the edge of the cliffs, falling directly into the endless ravine below.

Levin’s entire world shattered.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO—!!!"

He lunged forward instantly and desperately, trying to reach him, trying to grab him, and trying to stop the impossible from happening.

But before he could, someone suddenly grabbed his wrist from behind, firmly and coldly. Levin gasped sharply and then froze because behind him Slyvarakh had already returned to human form.

Long silver hair drifting beneath the poisonous winds, silver eyes glowing softly and beautifully monstrously.

And slowly Slyvarakh pulled Levin backward away from the cliff edge, and his voice lowered softly near Levin’s ear.

"You will fall...dear consort."

Levin’s blue eyes remained fixed downward desperately, toward the ravine, toward the darkness below, and toward the place Zeramet had disappeared.

Then—THUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!

A massive impact echoed upward from deep beneath the cliffs, and silence followed afterward.

Horrifying silence.

And something inside Levin broke completely. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"...Zer..." His legs suddenly gave out beneath him. Levin collapsed onto his knees violently, hands trembling and body shaking uncontrollably.

Tears spilled endlessly down his face, hot, painful, and unstoppable because for one horrifying moment Levin truly believed Zeramet had died, and that thought alone suffocated him completely.

"...Zer...please..."

He could not feel his legs anymore, could not breathe properly, and could not even think. All he could hear was the sound of Zeramet falling, the sound of his falling body, and the silence afterward.

Meanwhile, behind him, Slyvarakh quietly watched everything, and slowly, very slowly, he smiled, not joyfully, not mockingly, but satisfied.

Because this pain, this heartbreak, was precisely what he had wanted. Then suddenly Levin forced himself upward desperately. Ignoring the tears still falling endlessly.

"Lyresaph!" His voice broke violently. "We need to go down—NOW—!"

But the moment he turned, his entire body froze again because, several feet away, Lyresaph was trapped.

Massive glowing silver chains wrapped tightly around the dragon’s body. Ancient symbols burned across the restraints violently; every time Lyresaph struggled, the chains tightened harder. And beside him, Asha was trapped as well.

Her body was bound by the same cruel magic, trying to break free.

Levin’s breathing stopped.

"...no..."

Lyresaph roared furiously afterward, trying to reach Levin, trying to break the restraints, and trying to go after Zeramet. But the chains only dug deeper into his scales, blood slowly dripping downward.

And then, behind Levin, Slyvarakh softly spoke again. "You truly love him that much..."

Levin trembled violently, tears still falling endlessly. Meanwhile, the silver-eyed serpent slowly knelt behind him. Then gently, almost tenderly, he brushed trembling fingers against Levin’s tear-covered face.

And softly, dangerously, he whispered, "...then how heartbreaking."

Levin’s entire body shook harder afterward because somewhere deep inside something horrifying had already begun whispering to him.

What if Zeramet truly never returned? And beneath the ruined cliffs of Zahryssar, the moonlight silently watched a consort break apart beside the serpent who had orchestrated it all.

Levin could not bear the sight of his husband disappearing into darkness; tears spilled endlessly down his face, hot, painful, and uncontrollable.

Meanwhile, behind him, Slyvarakh quietly watched his grief, and softly, almost tenderly, he said as his silver eyes lowered toward the endless ravine below.

"...it is useless now, Consort. Your husband is gone." A faint smile appeared. "His death was written by my own hands and—"

STABBBBBBBBB!

The sound tore violently through the cliffs. Slyvarakh’s eyes widened instantly because buried deep into his thigh was a dagger, and gripping that dagger with trembling fury was Levin.

Blue eyes burning violently through tears, filled with heartbreak, filled with rage, and filled with something terrifyingly human as Levin’s voice shook, "Do you think...killing my husband will spare you?"

TWIST.

The dagger twisted deeper into Slyvarakh’s flesh violently. Black blood splattered across the ruined stones, and for the first time, the silver-eyed serpent groaned in pain.

Meanwhile, Levin glared at him with absolute fury as his tears continued falling down his face.

"Zer...will never leave my side." His breathing trembled violently. "He is not dead..."

TWIST.

"And I will never let him—"

KICKKKKKK!!!!

Slyvarakh’s foot slammed directly into Levin’s stomach. Levin gasped painfully; the dagger slipped free, and immediately he collapsed sideways against the stones.

"...ah—!"

Pain exploded through his abdomen violently. Instinctively his hands moved toward his stomach protectively.

Meanwhile, Lyresaph roared furiously against the chains, and beside him, Asha roared wildly, both desperately trying to break free.

But the silver chains only tightened further. Meanwhile, Slyvarakh slowly looked down toward the blood staining his thigh.

Then softly chuckled.

"...I truly wished to remain gentle with you." He stepped closer afterward, silver hair shifting beneath the poisoned winds. "But the rumors were correct."

Then slowly he crouched beside Levin, watching him clutch his stomach painfully. "You are a human who refuses to break."

Levin glared at him immediately, hatred burning openly now. Meanwhile Slyvarakh slowly extended one hand toward Levin’s abdomen.

Almost curious and almost possessive but before he could touch him—

SLAPPPP!!!

Levin violently slapped his hand away as his breathing shook painfully. "Dare touch me again...and I shall cut those hands off myself."

Silence.

Then suddenly Slyvarakh laughed low, beautifully, and dangerously amused and tilted his head slightly.

"My dearest human...do you truly believe you can harm me?"

Levin said nothing, still trembling, still glaring, and still protecting his abdomen instinctively. Meanwhile, Slyvarakh slowly leaned closer, his silver eyes darkening, and his smile widened.

"I know exactly what that little mind of yours is thinking; you wish to return to the imperial convoy. You wish to expose me before Zahryssar, and you wish to reveal every truth."

Levin’s jaw tightened immediately, but Slyvarakh only chuckled again and then leaned closer still, close enough for Levin to feel his breath.

"But sweetheart..." His voice lowered dangerously. "...who would believe you?"

Levin froze slightly, and Slyvarakh noticed instantly.

"The serpents of Zahryssar worship me. They called me the True Emperor long before death touched me." A faint smile spread slowly across his face, and now his voice carried quiet arrogance. "When they look at me...they see heaven itself."

Then his gaze lowered toward Levin, slowly and possessively. "And when they look at you...they see only a human who married the previous malik, Zeramet, who died protecting his consort."

Levin’s fingers tightened against the stones beneath him.

"My Zer is alive." His voice came out trembling and broken. Yet stubbornly determined. "He will never die."

For several seconds Slyvarakh simply watched him quietly, then softly nodded as his dangerous smile appeared.

"Very well. Let us pretend he survived." His silver eyes slowly drifted toward the dark ravine below and then back towards Levin afterward. "But even then...I shall now become the next Malik of Zahryssar."

Silence.

Then slowly Slyvarakh leaned impossibly close, his silver eyes lowering toward Levin’s lips and his voice became dangerously soft.

"And...your husband."

Levin’s blue eyes widened completely. "...what?"

Slyvarakh chuckled quietly afterward, and he sounded almost entertained by Levin’s horror.

"Oh...I truly adore imperial laws." The corrupted scales near his throat shifted grotesquely beneath the moonlight. "After a Malik’s death... The next ruler inherits everything. The throne, the empire, the palace and naturally..."

His smile deepened slowly.

"...the consorts and concubines as well."

Levin’s breathing stopped completely, then softly, almost lovingly, Slyvarakh whispered, his fingers slowly brushing against Levin’s chin.

"That means...you belong to me now."

Silence crashed violently across the ruined cliffs; far below, the ravine remained silent, dark, and endless. As though it had swallowed the emperor of Zahryssar whole.

Meanwhile above, a grieving consort sat trapped beside the serpent who now claimed both the throne and him, and beneath the moonlight of ruined Zahryssar, the empire unknowingly stood upon the edge of a catastrophe far worse than war.

END OF SEASON ONE.