Chapter 137

Briar’s POV

The moment Malachar’s magic returned, the throne room became a war zone.

Kai’s earth power erupted, creating barriers and weapons. Kylan’s flames finally ignited, turning the water to steam. Kieran’s tactical mind was coordinating everyone, turning chaos into strategy.

But it wasn’t enough.

Malachar was too strong, too skilled, too willing to sacrifice anything for victory. For every attack we landed, he returned three. For every warrior we rallied, he killed two.

"We’re losing," Kylan panted, his flames flickering with exhaustion.

"We need the crown," Kai said, voicing what we were all thinking.

"No," I said immediately. "You saw what it showed me. If I use it, you all die."

"If you don’t use it, we die anyway," Kieran pointed out, blocking a blast of dark magic with a stone barrier. "At least with the crown, there’s a chance."

"The vision—"