In that moment, Xerxes was helpless, but he was determined to face the monster. Yet he knew the monster possessed power far beyond that of a normal human. So he expected to be in a dangerous challenge.

"Aren't you the child I saw in my vision?" he pointed to Maximus.

"You must be the one spoken of in the prophecy by the divine king of the cosmos, the one who will end me?" he said. "If so, I will not allow that to happen in the future." His voice grew louder.

"Try to touch my son!"

"What can you do, King of Thallerion? You're not Orion!" the monster retorted. "I have already killed the previous chosen ones through war. If you are the next Orion, go ahead and save your children from the murder I'm about to commit." It suddenly disappeared and was now holding Xerxes's two children.

"No!!!!" Xerxes yelled. Xerxes suddenly felt a strange energy, as if an energy had awakened from deep within him. An energy he had never felt before. His mind worked at lightning speed. He thought of all the tactics to fight the monster.

The monster saw that Xerxes's eyes were glowing. "Is that you, Orion!" He saw that someone seemed to have possessed Xerxes. "Haha, excellent! So you've decided to show yourself to me."

"Let go of my children!" Xerxes said. Xerxes felt an intense power surging through his entire body.

"Let's finish our war in the cosmos right here," the monster said. "For now, I don't have my true power to pulverize you, and I know you only have your abilities at the moment." The monster took a weapon from the darkness. And he trapped Xerxes's two children in a cage made of dark magic.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Xerxes said. Xerxes was shocked when the humanoid monster pulled out a dark sword. So as a shield, he drew a sword from his waist.

"This is the first time I'll experience a duel with a mortal. If you're not Orion, then at least give me a good fight!!!"

"Father, be careful!!" Pyramus yelled.

"Shhhh..." the monster shushed them. "You two better go to sleep!!!" Suddenly, the two fell asleep because of the magic the monster cast.

"Now, it's just the two of us. I'll admit I don't have my true power yet, but is it okay if I use a sword made of darkness? And if it cuts you, even just a graze, it will feel like you're being eaten alive."

"Enough talk!" Xerxes said. Xerxes read in the monster's eyes that at this moment, it couldn't use its teleportation again.

"Then taste this!!!!" The monster's attack was fast and relentless, enough to overwhelm Xerxes. But with Xerxes's experience in warfare, he had trained himself to parry his enemies' attacks.

"I will not allow you to take my children!" he shouted.

"That's if I let you," the monster answered confidently. "I don't seem to be getting excited by your attacks," the monster said. "You really aren't Orion!" It laughed mockingly.

"Why don't you just go back to the planet you came from... instead of meddling in other people's lives!!!"

"Do you think I'm the only one here for the goal of achieving—the return of power!"

"Fools, this planet is only for mortals!"

"That's where you're wrong, the prophecy says that this world is a suitable home for powerful Constellars like me."

"If you're just a soul, why do you have a physical body?"

"This?" It grinned with a strange aura.

"There was a ritual that gave me the power to have a physical body. A priest gave me this body by offering a human life."

"Are you talking about the country of Cypriox!!?"

"Does a country that calls itself holy create monsters?"

"Who is the priest you're referring to?"

"Why don't you ask my sword!" Xerxes was hit, which caused him to weaken severely. "This is your end."

But from within the cage, a light like fire suddenly blazed and enveloped the entire room. The cage was destroyed, and they were all blinded by the intense light. In fear, the monster fled without taking any captives.

The two children were left asleep, and only the monster could wake them. But the monster's body also suffered greatly. Xerxes saw how chaotic the room was and how the entire surroundings were destroyed. The walls looked as if they had been blown up. Xerxes sat, weak from his wound. It was the first time Xerxes had seen a monster and fought one.

The world is truly in danger because creatures are spreading to sow terror, Xerxes thought to himself. When an intense light was seen from the top of the palace, people ran in fear, but leader Matheros immediately went to the location of the light to help. But he knew it was the area where the king's and princes' chambers were located.

"Your Majesty! Xerxes!!!" Matheros called. They looked for Xerxes, and when they found him, they were surprised to see him weak. "Your Majesty, why are you like this?" Phallion asked in shock. They saw that Xerxes was pale from extreme weakness.

"Summon Thallerion's medics, and tell them to hurry!" Matheros ordered.

"Yes, sir." A soldier said.

"Xerxes, what really happened here? Why is it so chaotic?" Matheros looked around and saw the princes. "Leader, the princes are unconscious!" Catana said.

"My sons," Xerxes answered weakly. With that, Xerxes fainted.

"Xerxes, wake up!!" He looked at Xerxes's wound, which seemed to be poisoned. "Where are the medics!!!!?" Matheros said angrily, now extremely worried.

"You're so slow!" Phallion said.

They immediately treated Xerxes, and fortunately, they were able to stop the poison from spreading. They were by Xerxes's side, waiting for him to wake up. But after the incident, the entire military conducted a deep investigation to find out the cause of the chaos. However, only Xerxes could answer the questions that were disturbing their minds.

When Xerxes regained consciousness, he was immediately greeted by familiar faces. And they tried to ask about his condition. But instead of answering their questions, he looked for his children. "Where are my sons?"

"Xerxes, your sons are in good condition now. But they haven't woken up yet."

"Tell them to assign additional guards to watch over them," Xerxes ordered.

"I've already put double the guards there," Matheros said.

"Your Majesty, tell us what really happened," Phallion said. "Was there an enemy who attempted to take your lives?"

"Yes," Xerxes answered. Xerxes was about to talk about the monster but thought more deeply.

"In that case, who was that person?" Matheros said.

"I don't know that person, but you need to go to Cypriox to find out who the priest is that's performing forbidden rituals!"

"Cypriox, a country known for being holy and saintly, is now using forbidden rituals?" Phallion said.

"You're misunderstanding. There's one priest from Cypriox who is secretly using a forbidden ritual."

"What does that priest have to do with the person who attacked you, Xerxes?" Matheros wondered.

"Will you believe that person brought a monster back to life that can take human form?"

"A monster?" Matheros said, barely able to believe it.

"That monster took on a human form," Xerxes replied. "He might belong to the snake or dragon creatures."

"Maybe that's what the elders were referring to as a Hydra or a Draco. But I think it's a Cetus, the sea monster that can take human form. That's what the elders' stories say. However, the ocean is far from Thallerion, but the long Cirtax river might have a connection to the appearance of the monster you're talking about," Matheros said.

"That person symbolizes the inverted presence of the Crux."

"Triangulum is said to have the ability to summon monsters!" Matheros said. "I understand now why we need to ask for help from the country of Cypriox, because they are the only ones with the power to counter the darkness."

"It was only a temporary body for the monster, so he could weaken at any time," Xerxes said.

"If you faced the monster, how did you fight the enemy? A mortal human is no match for them. And that light, where did it come from?" Phallion said, seemingly puzzled.

Xerxes couldn't speak, but all he knew was that the light came from his children. "I don't know the reason for that light either. As for our fight, his abilities were limited, enough for me to match his strength. However, he used a sword with magic."

"It's a good thing he didn't hit you squarely," Matheros said.

"I think an angel helped us to survive," Xerxes said, but that was just Xerxes's excuse.

Catana arrived. He entered in a hurry.

"Your Majesty, your sons seem to be suffering while they are asleep!" Catana said, with pity etched on his face.

"I'm certain it's a curse from the monster!" Phallion said.

"It can't be!" Xerxes stood up, but he felt dizzy and almost fell. Fortunately, he was able to grab onto Matheros immediately.