Chapter 7

Celeste looked at the king, her eyes cold. "I will never submit to you," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "I would rather die than be with you."

The king's eyes flashed with rage. "So be it," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You will starve in this room until you are nothing but skin and bones.

"I know you want to break me," said Celeste, "but you won't succeed. I am stronger than you think. You may starve my body, but you will never break my spirit."

The king growled in frustration. "We shall see," he said. And with that, he stormed out of the room, leaving Celeste alone, locked in the library.

She looked around the room, her mind racing. She had to find a way out, a way to escape. But the windows were barred, and the door was locked. She felt like a caged bird, trapped and helpless.

...

Markus set off on his quest, determined to find Celeste and free her from the king's clutches. But as he ventured into the wild lands outside the city, he encountered strange and terrifying creatures, never before seen by human eyes.

There were enormous, winged serpents that hissed and spat fire, their eyes glowing red with rage. There were hulking, brutish beasts with claws like razors and teeth like daggers. And there were vicious, spider-like creatures with spiny legs and barbed tails.

...

Rowena, the king's first wife stood over Celeste, a knife in her hand, trembling with fury. But before she could strike, the king's voice echoed through the room. "Stop!" he roared.

Rowena turned, her eyes wide with shock. The king stood in the doorway, his face hard and unyielding. "You will not harm her," he said. "I will not allow it."

Celeste looked at the king, her heart racing. She had never seen him defend her before, and she was not sure what to make of it.

Celeste watched as the king and his wife faced off against each other, their words and their gazes filled with anger and resentment. And she wondered what would become of her, caught in the middle of their conflict.

Suddenly, there was a roar from outside, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. The two turned to look out the window, and they saw the unmistakable figure of Markus, standing in the distance, astride his dragon.

The king took Celeste by the arm, and dragged her through the palace, towards the courtyard. The ground shook beneath them, and Celeste could hear the shouts of the people, the roar of the dragon, and the crack of stone.

When they reached the courtyard, the king threw Celeste to the ground. She felt the cold stone beneath her, and she looked up, seeing the looming figure of Markus on his dragon, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You will never have her!" cried the king.

"If you do not back down," the king continued, "I will kill her. I will make you watch as I take her life."

Celeste's eyes widened, and she saw the look of pain on Markus's face. She struggled to stand, to break free from the king's grasp. But it was no use. He was too strong, and he held her in a vice-like grip.

"Markus, don't listen to him!" Celeste cried. "I will be okay.

"Step away from her," said the king, his voice low and threatening. "Or I will kill you both."

"No!" cried Celeste, struggling in the king's grasp. "Markus, please!"

Markus took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists. "Let her go," he said, his voice unwavering. "She has done nothing to you. Let her go, and I will do whatever you want."

The king hesitated, his eyes flicking between Celeste and Markus. "No tricks," he said.

The king released his grip on Celeste, and she fell to the ground, gasping for breath. "Step away," he said to Markus, gesturing towards the edge of the courtyard.

Markus took a step back, but he did not take his eyes off the king. "Release all of the slaves," he said, his voice firm. "If you truly believe in justice, in fairness, you will let them go."

"You are not in a position to make demands," said the king, his tone mocking.

"You are mistaken," said Markus. "I am in the strongest position I have ever been in. For I have nothing left to lose."

The king's face went pale, and his eyes narrowed. "You are a fool," he said. "I have armies, I have power, and I have riches. You have nothing."

"I have something greater than all of that," said Markus. "I have my honor, and my belief in what is right.

"Enough of this!" cried the king, his voice booming. "You are in my domain, and you will obey my commands. I am the king, and you are nothing more than a lowly peasant."

As King Shadow threatened to kill Celeste, Scales let out a deep, thunderous roar. The sound shook the ground beneath their feet, and the king stumbled back, clearly shaken. But Markus stepped forward, placing a hand on Scales' snout. "Easy, my friend," he whispered. "We must remain calm."

Scales growled, her tail lashing from side to side. But she allowed Markus to gently guide her back, away from the king. The king took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "You think you can control this beast?" he said, sneering.

"Let her go."

The sentries laughed, their laughter ringing in Markus' ears. "What a joke!" they said, their voices echoing off the walls. "One man against the might of our kingdom? You are foolish to think you could ever hope to defeat us."

"You misunderstand me," said Markus, his voice steady. "I do not intend to fight you. I only wish to help you."

But the sentries only laughed harder, their mocking faces filling him with rage.

"Celeste is my wife," said Markus, his voice rising in volume. "And if you keep her, you will face the wrath of the god killers. They will know she is here, and they know of her connection to me. If you do not free her, they will come for you, and your kingdom will be lost. Your choice."

"You're bluffing," said the king, but