New Chapter for the Highest Tier (June 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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Luna's eyebrows slowly knitted into one, connecting above her nose as she scowled at Princess Ourania's back.

Time had passed by as Luna navigated the Summer Castle with Apollyon's mother.

No one else might be there to accompany them—no Faerie Sentinels, no servants and no attendants of Princess Ourania's— like Luna requested from the start.

But weirdly enough, she didn't meet any other Summer Faeries around the Castle, either, while she walked with Princess Ourania.

Was this merely a manifestation of her wish at the royal infirmary… or was there something sinister with the Summer Castle… or Princess Ourania herself?

She frowned.

Luna had to turn her head from left to right to catch a glimpse of any living creature who tread with them and squint far off the corridors to see if a Summer Fae walking towards them but there was none.

She recalled the moment when she strolled the upper floors of the Summer Castle with Apollyon where Princess Ourania's mysterious bed-chamber was located.

Apollyon's mother was in that room full of mirrors, inside, talking to herself, her lips moving yet there was no sound coming out of her lips.

When Luna peeked into the keyhole, there it was… a fury from the Underworld.

It was Princess Ourania's pet that both of them could only see.

That fact made Luna speculate if Apollyon's mother passed the test of being Hecate's High Priestess.

It was as silent as a tomb there, at the hallways outside that room as if all the sounds were sucked through magic.

"Hm." Luna hummed a short sound to get rid of this bile in her stomach rising unto her throat.

She swallowed it back and caressed her throat like a nervous tic.

Biting her lip as she felt this unease, her eyes became hypnotized to the sway of the scarlet robes' hem.

Luna focused on them if only that would get rid of this rising anxiety which gave warning bells inside her head.

Let these damned bells 'cling clang in her mind, then!

She wasn't afraid of this bitch.

She clenched her jaw.

Luna's eyes darted everywhere around her and she got to a point, wondering if they were still in the Summer Castle.

Did Princess Ourania place her in a trace without her notice?

Later, she decided to focus on calming her anxious breaths while she and Princess Ourania carefully descended on the staircases which appeared never-ending.

Luna held on to her light pink skirts tightly so that she wouldn't trip.

As they continued this long trip to the women's parlour, she became impatient.

It was either Apollyon's mother was secretly giving her a tour of the Summer Castle's unexplored parts or this old hag was trying to get her lost from how large the entire Castle was and how her current surroundings appeared eerily identical to the previous levels that Luna couldn't recognize where she was.

A few minutes later, they reached the part of the Summer Castle where it was dark.

The gloom and doom sucked the sunlight coming out of the succeeding circular glass windows that seemed to get smaller as they strolled deeper.

She noticed that all of the rooms were closed and she had a feeling they were all empty.

Sometimes, Luna would look over her shoulder then turn her whole body and briefly watch what was behind her when she felt icy cold fingers caressing on her nape.

Luna let out an inaudible gasp in this supernatural quiet and the short sound echoed through the walls she might as well released a scream.

Princess Ourania halted before spinning to face her, the skirts of her blood-red gown swirling around her feet like it was her garden. "Is everything all right, Empress?"

She paused and tuck her arms to her sides. "I'm alright. Nothing to be worried about."

Apollyon's mother blinked. Then, she raised an eyebrow and scanned her gaze at her form from head to toe. "I'm not worried."

Luna's lips parted in surprise but then she closed them immediately.

What a bitch!

"We are almost there." Turning her back, Apollyon's mother continued gliding to their destination while she followed. She told her, "One more staircase to go."

It felt like they were alone, living in the Summer Castle.

Was this some kind of a spatial illusion like she thought?

Did she do this on purpose—instilling fear on her before the discussion so she could get the upper hand when they arrived at the women's parlour?

Luna smirked, gaining confidence. 'This must probably a detour to scare her.'

Luna asked no one in particular. "Why is the women's parlour so far away from civilization?"

"I thought you want to keep this conversation a secret." Princess Ourania replied without breaking off, "I am just catering for the request of the current Vampire Empress."

Luna had no idea why sudden goosebumps broke out on the expanse of her skin from Princess Ourania's response.

Was it just because she braided her long silver hair and placed them in a bun, thereby, exposing her neck, or was a ghost breathing down her neck?

Was there any phantom existing in this Material Realm that was invisible to an Archdemon?

Luna can see ghosts, monsters, evil spectres, spirits, shadows and demons because of the power Hecate had given her as her High Priestess.

She literally went to Hell and back and it was pure torture.

She even thought that there was no way out but she did.

It wouldn't make sense that she would be afraid of just an old, selfish hag who can't do any harm except insulting creatures when she didn't get what she desired or bullying people when she perceived them weaker than her.

They arrived through the final staircase Princess Ourania was talking about.

Luna let out a relieved sigh as they stood at the edge of the landing.

Both of them could finally discuss Princess Sapphire in the women's parlour.

Her feet were sore from all that walking and she was looking forward to sitting on a comfortable couch while the maidservants.

Excited, Luna took a step down and she felt an abrupt pain in her heart.

When she glanced down, a sharp orange crystal spear was embedded from her back, passing through her chest.