2025-02-06 23:21:39Ambong tightened his grip on Alkan, and in an instant, the shadow dropped from its position in the sky. Alkan gasped and clung tightly to Ambong's sleeve, cursing repeatedly in his mind.
Tayon's eyes widened, and he quickly flew toward them. A mischievous grin formed on Ambong’s lips before he suddenly darted off in a different direction. Alkan heard Tayon curse before swiftly pursuing them. As Ambong laughed in the air, Alkan’s face turned as pale as paper. His heart had been pounding relentlessly, painfully even. He kept taking deep breaths, but before he could steady himself, they were once again surrounded by vampires. Unlike earlier, Tayon’s brows were now creased. His gaze toward Ambong was sharp, but it became even more piercing whenever it landed on Alkan. "Don't even think about escaping. No matter what you do, you won't get away. You're in vampire territory," Tayon smirked. "Haven't you noticed? No matter where you go in this place, there's always a vampire watching. Stop wasting your time." Ambong’s mischievous grin disappeared. He looked down at Alkan with irritation, though Alkan had no idea why he was annoyed. Ambong exhaled sharply. "You're so heavy! If I didn’t need that body of yours, I wouldn’t bother wasting my time trying to get you out of here." Alkan was momentarily stunned. Tayon, however, laughed at Ambong’s remark. "Seize the sawikin and lock up the shadow!" he ordered the surrounding vampires. Before Alkan knew it, he was in the grip of the vampires, held firmly by both shoulders. Even though he didn’t want to be captured, they were still floating in the air. It wasn’t practical to fight back—if he struggled, he might fall. Ambong scowled, his lips pursed in frustration, as the vampires flew them back toward the factory. He was held the same way as Alkan, but it seemed like he could easily break free if he wanted to. However, he remained close to Alkan, likely because he still needed him. Alkan sighed. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at his situation. He gazed into the distance, unable to see much in the darkness, but he knew Valeria was nearby. They were in the same land, and he was certain they would meet again. But for now, he had to ensure his escape from the vampires. If what Ambong said was true—that he had to either kill Tayon or join the vampires—then he had no choice but to pick one. He refused to become a vampire, but killing their leader wouldn’t be easy. He needed to figure out Tayon’s weakness and plan his next move carefully. Before long, they arrived at the factory. However, instead of landing at the entrance, the vampires continued flying. Alkan frowned when he saw the factory’s roof beneath his feet. He hadn’t realized how vast the area was. Then, suddenly, they passed through an invisible barrier. In a blink, the scenery beneath them transformed. The factory was gone—replaced by a massive palace! Alkan’s eyes widened as the two vampires holding him landed at the palace gates. They stood on either side of him, gripping his shoulders. Shortly after, Tayon and the vampires holding Ambong landed as well. The palace before him resembled those seen in movies—grand and expansive. But unlike those glittering with diamonds, this vampire palace was devoid of light. No sun shone above it, and the only illumination came from the lanterns lining the entrance. "Vampires can see in the dark, so they don’t need much light," Ambong commented, standing beside him. "It looks like they’re serious about imprisoning you. They’ve brought you to a palace that only pure-blooded vampires can enter." Alkan remained silent. He had a bad feeling about this. It seemed like Tayon had a plan that would hinder him from rescuing Valeria. Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath. He needed to escape as soon as possible. The vampires led him inside the gate. His heart pounded faster as he saw more vampires roaming the area. Some glanced in his direction, though he was somewhat relieved that Tayon walked behind him. "Good evening, General!" the vampires greeted Tayon. Alkan couldn’t help but wonder—if Tayon was a general, did that mean there was a vampire king and queen he had yet to meet? His palms grew sweaty. This wasn’t looking good. They walked through the winding halls of the palace for several minutes until they reached a massive door. Two guards stood by its pillars. When they saw Tayon, they bowed before opening the grand entrance. It was the throne room of the Vampire King. As Alkan stepped inside, a chilling breeze greeted him. The faint scent of blood lingered in the air, making him grimace. They stopped a few meters from the throne, where a man sat. He wore no golden crown, but his red eyes had been fixed on Alkan since he entered. "Greetings to the King of the Vampires," Tayon said, bowing before the man. The vampires beside Alkan suddenly kicked the backs of his knees, forcing him to kneel before the king. Even Ambong wasn’t spared from the rough treatment. "General, who are these people with you?" the king asked. Tayon grinned widely. "They are my captives. One is a shadow, and the other has sawikin blood." "Sawikin blood?" The king stroked his chin, his red eyes scrutinizing Alkan from head to toe. "What kind of sawikin?" "I can’t determine what kind," Tayon admitted. "Interesting," the king said, rising from his throne. He stepped down and stood in front of Alkan. "A being with sawikin blood, yet still human. What is this creature’s name?" "Alkan Buena. A mortal. According to the portal guardian, he suddenly crossed over," Tayon replied. The Vampire King seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment, he smiled at Alkan. "Then you shall stay here. You are a being of the Tribal, so you may remain." He then turned to Ambong. "And who is this shadow?" Tayon was silent for a few seconds before answering. "His name is Ambong. When I first saw him, he was following Alkan’s every move like a shadow. I cannot determine which tribe he belongs to." The king stared at Ambong for a long moment. "He is connected to the Witch King. General, did you fail to recognize the prince of the witches?" Tayon stiffened where he knelt. He hesitated before glancing at Ambong, who merely smiled at him. Tayon swallowed hard and bowed lower before the king. "I did not know, Your Majesty. Forgive me." The king raised his hand and gestured to a vampire beside Ambong. "You need not kneel, Prince of the Witches. I was once a friend of your father, so rise and lift your head." The vampire helped Ambong to his feet. He lifted his face and met the Vampire King’s gaze. The king smiled and gestured to a servant nearby. "The prince is here to visit the vampire palace. Escort him to his chamber and ensure he is well accommodated." The servant nodded and began guiding Ambong out of the throne room. But Ambong remained still, his gaze fixed on Alkan. "The one kneeling before you is with me. We will leave together, and whatever privileges I receive in this palace, Alkan will receive as well." The king fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Give this young man a chamber as well, so our two guests may rest." Alkan finally let out a relieved breath. Sweat had been trickling down his back from sheer nerves. He hadn’t expected Ambong to speak on his behalf, but thankfully, the Vampire King was easy to negotiate with. However, just as they were leaving the throne room, a female vampire appeared before them. She wore a long black dress with jewelry adorning her neck and ears. Her wavy black hair framed her pale, snow-white skin, while her lips were as red as blood. Her eyes—black as a starless sky—pierced through them.
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Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 8: Princess
Her gaze shifted between Alkan and Ambong. After a few seconds, she smiled at him."New faces in the palace. Who are you, and how did you get in?"Alkan was about to answer, but Ambong pulled him past her. Celya only let out a soft laugh as she watched them leave.Her amusement faded when she saw the way Ambong looked at her—cold and guarded. How annoying. She didn’t like it when men ignored her, especially those who should have been on their knees, enchanted by her beauty.“Celya,” she heard a voice call from behind her. A fellow vampire approached, worry on his face. “Why are you out here? Your father is looking for you.”She clicked her tongue in irritation but turned gracefully. “I was just welcoming our guests. Did he say what he wanted?”“He just told me to fetch you. You should hurry back.”Celya sighed but obeyed. However, as she walked away, her thoughts lingered on the man who had stared at her so intently—Alkan. Unlike the others, he had looked at her with fascination, yet
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 9: Tension Rising
Alkan opened the door, and two male vampires stood before him. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing them."Do you need something?" he asked.The vampire on the left spoke. "The king is summoning you. The king of the witches is here."Alkan froze at the statement. After a few seconds, he glanced behind him, where he saw Ambong with a dark expression.There was nothing Alkan could do but follow the two men. Ambong walked beside him, silent all the while. He kept his head down, staring only at the path ahead.It wasn’t long before they reached the vampire king’s throne room. And the two men were right—there, seated on a step just below the throne of the vampire king, was Surikong.Surikong looked in Alkan’s direction, and their gazes met. A smile formed on his lips."Alkan Buena," he greeted.It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on Alkan. A chill ran from his head to his toes, and cold sweat formed on his skin. He knew Surikong was involved in the strange events that had plagu
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 10: Abandoned
Surikong grinned widely. “That’s a good decision. Get ready, we’ll be leaving soon.” Celya happily turned around and stepped back toward the door. But she stopped in her tracks when she passed by Alkan. She looked at his face and smirked, as if challenging him. Then she rolled her eyes and continued walking. He ignored the princess’s actions and turned to Surikong, who was still smiling at him. His lips pressed into a thin line before he turned away and left the room. He could still hear Surikong’s voice behind him, saying, “You should get ready too, Alkan. We’re leaving soon.” Alkan clenched his fists. He really didn’t like being told what to do. However, he wanted to get out of that palace, so he decided to follow Surikong’s orders without arguing. As the sun neared the western horizon, Alkan found himself standing outside a factory. The king did not accompany them, but he had sent two large men to escort them to the entrance. “We can only go this far, king of witches,”
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 11: Priest tribe
Before he could process what was happening, several women ran in his direction. He was rooted to the spot, startled when one of them grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the scene. "Move! The Black Wing Tribe is coming!" she gasped. Her face was pale, her breathing ragged. He could feel the cold tremble in her hands. "They’re all dead! There's nothing left for you there!" He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her words. He hadn’t come to that settlement looking for family. Still, he let her pull him along. So that she wouldn’t fall behind, he took hold of her arm instead and ran at the front of the group. He heard her sharp intake of breath but noticed she didn’t complain—she simply ran, trying to keep up with him. Alkan's ears had perked up at what the woman had said. The Black Wing Tribe is coming? Did that mean they were the ones responsible for the burning village? He glanced at the woman beside him. He couldn't tell which tribe she belonged to, but she didn’t seem
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 12: Interrogation
Alkan flinched and quickly looked ahead. The three men were already frowning at him. But because of the light he had seen, his earlier plan to leave now seemed unlikely. He needed to find out which tribe the child belonged to and why it was surrounded by light. He cleared his throat. "What tribe are you from?" The three men narrowed their eyes at him and slightly lowered their heads into a stance ready to attack. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly raised his hands. "I mean no harm. I just want to know if you're allied with the White Wing Tribe and if that’s the reason the Black Wing Tribe attacked you." At the mention of the White Wing Tribe, the tension in the air slightly eased. He couldn’t quite read the three men’s expressions, but he noticed the women averting their gazes. Soon, the man in the middle straightened his stance. He looked Alkan over from head to toe. "We are not allies of the White Wing Tribe, but neither are we enemies of the white sawikin. We have li
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 13: Ester
Yes, there were times when he could control the shadow without knowing that it had a mind of its own because of Ambong. But now, Ambong was no longer inside his body, so he didn’t know how to summon the shadow. "I am not part of the witch's lineage. There was someone who taught me how to manipulate it..." His lips pressed into a thin line. "Besides, if the black sawikin had sent me here, the women would have already been lying lifeless on the ground." "Then show me your ability!" the man demanded. With no other choice, Alkan closed his eyes. He focused on himself until he felt the creeping cold from his soles, rising up his legs, arms, neck, and finally to his face. His muscles shivered with dread. This was the familiar sensation whenever the shadow touched his body. And it seemed his suspicion was right when he heard a woman scream. Footsteps followed, scurrying away from him. He knew the women had taken refuge in a corner. When he opened his eyes, even he was taken aback.
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 14: Captured
The woman glanced at the child and shook her head. "When the baby was born, a light surrounded it. After that, we didn’t see anything strange—except for the fact that Ester’s child is incredibly beautiful." Alkan’s gaze deepened. His suspicions were correct. The tribe couldn’t see the white light wrapped around the infant. This would make capturing the child much easier. However, he was growing concerned about Ester. If he couldn’t take the baby, he might have to abduct Ester instead.Alkan spent several days in the cave with the tribe of priests. In the past few days, he had been trying to push away his thoughts of abducting the baby, constantly reminding himself that it was not yet the right time. His patience seemed to pay off when Ester called him over and had him sit in front of her. The woman smiled at him. “This is my daughter, Wakin,” she said, revealing the face of a young girl. Alkan’s gaze deepened as he looked at the child. At last, Ester herself had introduced her da
Overlord of the Four Powers Chapter 15: Silent River
The women roared in unison. Even the exorcists were taken aback. They were no longer the weak, weeping women from before. They were resolute, determined to fight. Seizing the opportunity, Alkan grabbed the baby and fled through a hole in the cave wall, running without looking back. He didn’t know how long he had been running. He only knew that the sun was setting when he left the cave with the baby. Darkness had swallowed the surroundings, and the wind had turned cold. The only sounds he could hear were the chirping of crickets. Panting, he stopped running. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, so he knew he was standing under the shade of a large tree. He lowered his gaze to the baby, still surrounded by a white glow. He smiled. He hadn’t seen any shadows earlier, so he knew he had made the right decision. Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound not far away. Alkan became alert. Holding his breath, he turned toward the source of the noise, but he saw no movement in that
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Chapter 26: Emergence of the White Army
Alkan let out a deep sigh. The mermaids were currently troubled by the sudden increase of sawikin on the river's surface. They were worried that if they went out, the sawikin would capture them. The mermaids needed to go to land to gather food for Alkan. Since he was a mortal and had different dietary needs, a group of mermaids would travel to land once a month to collect food. However, two months had passed, and they still couldn't leave due to the growing number of sawikin on the river’s surface."B-But—""The king will not go to—""I will go," he interrupted the silver-haired mermaid. The six mermaids turned to him, so he smiled. "Where is the council chamber? I'll follow you," he said to the attendant.If it weren’t for the food problem, he wouldn’t have gone. Besides, something was urging him to go. He had a feeling that food wasn’t the only issue—it was also about the sawikin on the river’s surface. Something bad was about to happen, and he
Chapter 25: To dream
Alkan stayed beneath the river for several more weeks. Selena announced that she was carrying an heir in her womb. That night, the tribe held a feast, and even though Alkan was the center of attention, some could not help but indulge in their excitement. They were eager to share a bed with him.He was gloomy. He had no intention of building a harem, yet it was as if he were the protagonist of a story filled with beautiful women longing for him.Moments later, Selena turned to him and once again introduced him to the entire tribe as the king of the merfolk. He let out a breath and stood up. As he scanned the crowd of guests, he realized that despite the population having remained stagnant for centuries, the number of merfolk was still overwhelming.Two attendants approached him and placed a golden crown on his head. They smiled at him, and he responded with a nod. He was eager to return to his chamber to rest.Eventually, the feast came to an end.
Chapter 24: Body and Conscience
In the blink of an eye, all the sirens in the room disappeared—except for Selena. She continued to stare at Alkan, her eyes holding an emotion he couldn't quite decipher. How many centuries had it been since a sawikin last set foot beneath the river? Selena still remembered how her mother had forbidden her from venturing onto land because of the winged beings that ruled the skies. They were a different kind, not their equals, her mother had said. The creatures called sawikin were dangerous, and if she ever encountered one, she must never approach it—she must flee at once. For those who could swim and those who could fly would never see eye to eye. But Selena had always been stubborn as a child. Instead of running from the sawikin she saw by the riverbank, her curiosity led her closer. She introduced herself to the sawikin. For years, they secretly met, and when she became the leader of the siren tribe, she invited the sawikin to visit the depths of the river. He agreed, though
Chapter 23: One long night
Selena secretly laughed, but there was no mockery in her expression. Only a smile and laughter appeared on her face. These were the habits she had developed ever since she became the leader of the siren tribe. She had never revealed her true self to anyone. Only she knew what lay behind her cheerful and kind expression. Alkan glanced at the siren woman. He studied her face carefully and could see the hidden mockery in her eyes. Hah. He knew Selena was lying. It wasn’t a secret among creatures that he had the ability to read and understand emotions. This was called human psychology. And because the beings in Tribal never studied such things, they were unaware that he could read expressions. That’s why he could easily tell who was lying—just like Selena. It was obvious she had no intention of letting him go. The intense hatred in her eyes made it clear she wouldn’t simply free someone who had a good relationship with her enemy. He also knew that the only reason Selena hadn’t kille
Chapter 22: Estranged relationship
He was silent for a few minutes after hearing what Selena said. He avoided her gaze and fell into deep thought. If he could use the mermaid tribe, rescuing Valeria would be much easier. But his conscience couldn't bear the thought of embracing another woman.Besides, wasn't the mermaid tribe under the rule of the White Palace? If he could gain the White Palace's support, he wouldn't have to sleep beside a mermaid. Yes. He still had a choice."No," he firmly rejected Selena's offer. "The mermaid tribe is under the White Palace's rule. So if I manage to ask for the White Palace’s help, your tribe will also aid in rescuing Valeria."Selena rested her chin on her hand and watched him with a smile. His lips twitched. He was uncomfortable with her mocking gaze."Did you know that the mermaid tribe has a saying? 'An enemy of one is an enemy of all. A single fight means a lifetime of separation.' Do you understand what that means?" Selena asked.He shook his head. The mermaid's eyes narrowed
Chapter 21: Sit on the throne
He couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at what the woman had said. Pregnant? Intercourse? He had no intention of doing everything she was ordering him to do! He loved Valeria, and he couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping with another woman. Besides, he came here to save his wife... not to fulfill whatever desires these women had. His fists clenched. Was this the exorcist woman’s plan to torment him? His jaw tightened at the thought. “Come. The leader is calling for you,” the woman said before walking away. But Alkan remained where he stood. His lips pressed into a firm line as he watched the siren walk further away. After a moment, she stopped and turned to him, her forehead creased. “Why are you still not following?” she asked. He swallowed before speaking. “I won’t meet with the leader. Tell them to send me back to the White Palace.” The woman’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at him, then looked away with a sigh. “Aren’t you hungry? The leader has been waiting at the
Chapter 20: Under the river
The black sawikin sighed. "Because I have a fairy blood, I can recognize the energy of every tribe belonging to the five pillars of Tribal." She fell silent. She had forgotten. That must have been why he warned her earlier. He must have sensed something strange in the area. A few minutes later, as they continued flying through the air, she became alert when she sensed a group of black sawikin a hundred meters away. She quickly grabbed the arm of the sawikin holding her. "Put me down, quickly! Your companions are here!" But the sawikin didn't listen to her. ... As the female exorcist desperately tried to escape the persistent black sawikin, the mermaid carried Alkan’s body into the depths of the river. Alkan was unconscious as the mermaid held him. His head was encased in a bubble the mermaid had created to keep him from drowning. At that moment, the only thing he could remember was the occasional singing of the mermaid, lulling him into a sense of peace. He couldn't fig
Chapter 19: A necromancer's magic
She stood frozen as countless skeletal figures dragged themselves toward her. What kind of creatures were these? There's no records in history that mentioned skeletons rising from the ground. "My lady, this is not the time to be surprised," the black sawikin said, sounding mildly disgusted as it eyed the approaching skeletons. "If you don’t move, you’ll be their dinner." Snapping back to reality, she took a deep breath and raised her hand. Wind gathered in her palm, forming a small whirlwind. She unleashed it at the cluster of skeletons nearer to her. The force shattered them, but they kept crawling toward her, undeterred. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She summoned another whirlwind, but it still wasn’t enough to diminish their numbers. The black sawikin frowned. "You might need fire to get rid of them completely." She turned to him with a glare. "If you're not going to help, just shut up!" she snapped, focusing on summoning another whirlwind. Relief washed over h
Chapter 18: Under the balete tree (2)
The sawikin grinned. "Why don’t we find out?" He opened his mouth, about to shout. Without thinking, she removed her claws from his throat and leaned down—pressing her lips against his. Her expression darkened. She couldn’t believe it. She had just kissed a sawikin. His lips curved against hers. And before she could pull away, his hand slid behind her, pressing her even closer. She inhaled sharply, eyes widening. She struggled to move, but his grip was like stone. He deepened the kiss. And to her horror—he was enjoying it. Damn it. This was not part of the plan. She let the sawikin kiss her, and several minutes passed before he finally released her. Only then did she push herself up from where she had been pinned down. She shot the sawikin a glare, but it only responded with a mischievous smile. Despite the anger simmering inside her, she refused to use magic for revenge. If she did, its companions would immediately sense an exorcist’s presence. Taking a deep bre
