Marsha's skin was porcelain, and her lips were bee-stung. Behind her, a powerful tail flipped that could behead a man with a light swish. Yet, she walked with a grace that could only be defined as royal.The Queen surfaced before THE BUTCH. She levitated from the water, as if carried by a cloud. As she landed on the deck, surrounded by servant mermaids, the wood turned to reeds, soil, and grass.Tyler noticed he had forgotten to breathe for a dozen seconds. He was suddenly reminded of the goddess Aphrodite's prediction. "The fairest of them all is not on this metal vessel. She lives on soil and grass, on clouds and mist."Water cascaded from the Queen's form erotically. The naval officers and staff, regardless of their pain and suffering, were entranced by her unearthly beauty."You wield my husband's trident," Marsha declared. "But you are no Poseidon. He abandoned me. His Queen, the love of his immortal life, that too for a frail human woman.""When I protested, he cursed me to the

The mermaid queen extended her hand towards the west, her tail coiling gracefully. "Come, husband. We'll wed each other on the iceberg altar that has existed for millennia in my realm. We can have our honeymoon on a golden glacier that flows from the island itself. Afterward, once you have satisfied my urges, you may claim your throne. However, this part of the ocean will be your new home."Tyler nodded. "That sounds wonderful. However, I need a few minutes to change into proper attire for the wedding. Right now, I am dressed like a soldier. Please ask your followers to restrain themselves meanwhile."Marsha smiled warmly and waved. Her mermaids stopped growling and eased back slightly. "I can wait, my betrothed. But hurry. The sea of desire in me grows impatient. I have waited for this moment for centuries."Tyler turned around and retreated towards belowdecks. The crew parted to give him a path with stunned silence. Their eyes followed him in disbelief.At the door, Tyler signaled T

"I have decided what to do. The choice is quite simple," Tyler said calmly.The young man took a deep breath. "Butch Salvatore's dying wish was for me to claim the Seraphim King's throne. He poured all those years in prison training me, gave me this sigil and ring as his legacy. I owe him that much. I can't turn back now—not when I'm standing at the gates."Everyone else present nodded in support of Tyler's decision. It was the rational thing to do."But then, Sapphire City is my home, where my family and friends live," he added thoughtfully. "Now that I am the King of Petra, Michelle's kingdom is mine too. Everything is under siege, and I'm here vying for another throne. Therefore, it was simple but difficult to arrive at my decision.""What do you mean?" Britta asked in confusion.Tyler smiled and turned to the guards, his eyes locking onto theirs. "Could you provide me with an important piece of information about Wings Island?"The taller guard raised a brow. "Speak, heir, but hurr

Michelle frowned, pushing through the crowd. "Evacuation? What are you talking about, Sergeant? We just won the war against Lazarus' armies. What's the issue?"He grabbed her arm, speaking with an urgent and panicked voice. "Ma'am, there is no time for discussion. Please hurry!"The Queen followed him up the spiral stairs to the palace's observation deck. The city sprawled below like a wounded beast licking its scars. Apart from the sirens and alarms, everything seemed normal. What was the Sergeant worried about?The others trailed behind. Kat, Britta, Yara, Tracy, Isabella, and Mamushi arrived. The terrace was a station with radar tech, with screens flickering madly."My Queen… Please look," the Sergeant gasped, jabbing a finger at the central display. A blip streaked across the radar range.Michelle leaned in with raised brows. "What is that? A missile? Can't our air defense systems neutralize it? Why did you have to bring me up here?"The Sergeant looked scandalized as if he had se

"Who exactly is this Destiny you fell in love with?" Tyler asked.Seraph's dying-star eyes fixated on him, and the young man saw a flicker of something almost human in that godly madness.Seraph leaned forward as much as his chains allowed. The metal groaned like a dying beast. "Destiny... She exists beyond time and space, beyond the grasp of imagination itself.""Do you mean she is a goddess?"The supreme being waved a dismissive hand. "Destiny is neither a goddess you pray to, nor a force you can command."He looked up as if he could stare through the crystals into the sky. "She is the weave of existence itself—the thread that binds fates of living and non-living, the silent architect of heroes and their stories."Tyler felt like he had learned nothing new from the explanation. "Where is she?""Destiny only reveals herself to those who dare to defy the impossible—true heroes who bend predestination with their wills alone."The young man furrowed his brow because something about this