Married To The Villain
Chapter 61: The King’s End

Chapter 61: The King’s End

Chapter 61: The King’s End

There was a small silence before Gabriel decided to look at the king.

His breathing got steadier now as he held his sword at his side, the blade caught the faint glow of the king’s aura.

Lirian looked paralysed, her heart pounded aggressively in her chest.

What she just realised pressed down on her like a boulder.

’The king dies here. By Gabriel’s hands.’

Before she could react further, Pedro fluttered from her shoulder, frightened by the king’s radiance.

"AI!" Pedro squawked loudly, circling above the king’s head. "AI! AI!"

The king looked up, confused, he furrowed his brow.

"What is this creature saying?"

Gabriel’s lips curved into a sharp smile, his eyes narrowed instantly.

"He’s saying something very insightful, Your Majesty. And very true."

The king’s eyebrows deepened as he turned his gaze to Gabriel.

"Gabriel, explain yourself. I have come here to help you, to ensure your survival. You fight for the crown, for the kingdom."

Gabriel laughed bitterly.

"The crown? This crown?" He gestured at the gleaming ornament atop the king’s head.

"You mean the very thing you stole from my family? From my father?"

The king’s muscles hardened.

"Your father abdicated his rule when he failed to protect the people. It was my duty to take his place."

Gabriel’s grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles turned pale from the pressure.

"He didn’t fail. You betrayed him. You poisoned the court against him, whispered lies into every ear until there was no choice but for him to step down. And you didn’t stop there, did you?"

Lirian stepped closer, keeping her hand a bit hesitant.

"Gabriel, what are you doing?"

He glanced at her briefly, his eyes burnt with a fire she hadn’t seen before.

"What I should have done years ago."

The king raised a hand, calm but commanding.

"Gabriel, you’re mistaken. I have served this kingdom with honor. I have no quarrel with you."

Gabriel sneered.

"You have no quarrel because you sit on a stolen throne, surrounded by sycophants who tell you only what you want to hear. But I have lived every day with the consequences of your ’honor.’ My family was destroyed because of you. My mother. My sister. My father. You took everything from us."

"Gabriel," Lirian said softly, stepping closer. "This isn’t the way—"

"It’s the only way," Gabriel interrupted her coldly.

The king’s face was whiter, looking between Gabriel and Lirian.

"You’ve lost yourself," he said finally, in an almost pitying voice. "You fight shadows where there are none. You’ve let anger consume you."

"Hahaha!" Gabriel’s laugh was harsh.

"And you’ve let power blind you. You think you’ve won, don’t you? That your legacy will endure. But it won’t. Not anymore."

With that, Gabriel surged forward, raising his sword at him.

The king’s golden aura flared as he summoned a shield of wind, blocking the strike with a loud clang that echoed through the cavern.

"Gabriel!" he roared, seemingly full of anger and disbelief. "Stop this madness!"

"There’s no stopping now," Gabriel snarled, his strikes looked relentless. "Not until I’ve taken back what’s mine!"

Lirian watched with her eyes as wide as the universe when the battle started.

Gabriel moved like a man possessed, his blows fueled by years of pain and rage.

The king fought back with carefulness and grace, but it was clear he hadn’t anticipated this attack.

"You think you’re righteous, don’t you?" Gabriel spat, his sword sliced through the golden shield.

"You think your light absolves you of your sins. But I see you for what you are—a thief wearing a crown that doesn’t belong to you!"

"Enough!" the king bellowed, his hand glowed as he unleashed a beam of light toward Gabriel.

Gabriel dodged it narrowly, the ground where he’d stood erupting into a shower of sparks.

"You can’t blind me anymore!" he growled, closing the distance between them.

Lirian’s chest tightened as she watched Gabriel deliver a powerful blow that sent the king staggering back.

She wanted to intervene, to stop this madness, but her feet felt rooted to the ground.

"Gabriel, please!" she finally cried. "You don’t have to do this!"

He paused briefly, glancing at her over his shoulder. "I do," he said simply, only convicting himself.

The king straightened, his face was out of colour but still ready to fight.

"You’ll regret this, Gabriel. If you kill me, you’ll doom the kingdom."

Gabriel’s smile was chilling. "The kingdom was doomed the moment you took the throne."

With one final, devastating strike, Gabriel’s sword pierced the king’s chest.

"Agh!"

The golden light around him flickered and faded as he collapsed to the ground, his crown rolled away with a dull clang.

The cavern fell silent, Gabriel’s ragged breathing seemed to be the only sound as he stood over the king’s lifeless body.

Lirian took a shaky step forward, her heart in her chest was ready to come out.

"Gabriel," she whispered in a trembling voice.

He turned to her slowly, lowering his eyebrows and opening his mouth slowly.

"It’s done," he said quietly.

Lirian stared at him, full with questions of what just happened.

This wasn’t how she wanted the story to go.

Gabriel was supposed to fight for justice, for the people.

But now, standing before her, he looked more like the villain she’d always feared he would unleash.

"Why?" she asked, breaking apart. "Why did you do it?"

Gabriel’s eyes softened slightly as he stepped closer, his hand reached out to cup her cheek.

"Because I couldn’t let him win," he said softly. "Not after everything he’s done. Not after what he took from me."

Tears filled her eyes as she searched his face. "And now?"

He smiled faintly, though there was no joy in it. "Now, we take the throne. Together."

Lirian’s breath caught, his words settled over her like a storm.

She knew there was no turning back now, no way to undo what had been done.

But as Gabriel pulled her into his arms, she couldn’t help but wonder: ’At what cost?’