ShadowBound: The Need For Power-Chapter 642: The Bridge

"As you already know," Liam said calmly, his voice steady against the quiet backdrop of the rooftop, "the Crescent Kingdom and its people despise my very existence as a dark mage. To them, someone like me is not merely a danger. I am a stain that should have been wiped from the world long ago."

The words hung in the air between them.

For a moment, the wind carried them outward across the open rooftop, brushing along the stone barrier and vanishing into the vast skyline of Grandeur City beyond. The city stretched endlessly below them, its streets alive with distant movement—people walking, carriages passing, merchants shouting somewhere far beneath the height of the academy. From this vantage point, everything looked peaceful, almost idyllic, as if the world below had no awareness of the tension quietly unfolding above it.

Percy did not respond immediately.

He remained standing near the edge of the rooftop, his hands still tucked into the pockets of his coat as his gaze rested on the distant horizon. The late afternoon sunlight painted the buildings in warm gold and amber tones, and for a brief moment he allowed his eyes to drift across the sprawling cityscape.

But his thoughts were no longer on the city.

They were on the boy standing beside him.

"And you believe my sister is somehow the solution to that problem?" Percy asked after a moment, his tone measured and calm.

Liam did not answer right away.

Instead, he leaned forward slightly against the stone barrier, resting his forearms along the cool surface as he watched the wind ripple across the sea of rooftops stretching toward the horizon.

"In a sense," he replied quietly.

Percy’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"That explanation is extremely vague."

"Yes," Liam admitted without hesitation. "Because the situation itself is complicated."

He straightened slightly and shifted his weight against the barrier before continuing.

"The Crescent Kingdom has spent decades hunting dark mages," Liam said evenly. "Not suppressing them. Not imprisoning them."

"Hunting them."

His voice carried no bitterness.

Only a quiet statement of fact.

"Tracking them down. Eradicating them. Removing them from existence entirely."

He paused briefly.

"And they succeeded."

The wind brushed softly across the rooftop again.

"Roughly two decades ago," Liam added calmly, "your kingdom effectively completed its purge."

Percy’s expression did not change.

"From Crescent’s perspective," Liam continued, "the problem of dark mages was solved long ago."

His red eyes shifted slightly toward Percy.

"And yet here I am."

Percy remained silent.

"Your kingdom has made it abundantly clear that individuals like me have no place in the world it envisions," Liam said calmly. "The ideology behind that belief has existed for generations."

"It’s no longer just political policy."

His gaze drifted back toward the city.

"It’s cultural doctrine."

"To the average citizen of the Crescent Kingdom," Liam said quietly, "someone like me isn’t simply dangerous."

He paused.

"I’m an abomination."

Percy did not argue.

Because Liam was telling the truth.

The Crescent Kingdom’s hatred toward dark magic was infamous across the entire continent of Amthar. It was not something whispered quietly behind closed doors or debated among scholars.

It was openly declared.

Institutionalized. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

For decades, entire divisions of Crescent’s military had been dedicated solely to the hunting of dark mages during the era when they were more common. Specialized units trained in detection and extermination had been deployed across the continent with the full authority of the throne behind them.

The campaign had been ruthless.

And effective.

"So if someone like me were to step inside Crescent territory," Liam continued calmly, "there would be no diplomacy."

"No negotiations."

"No tolerance."

His voice remained steady.

"They would simply try to eliminate me."

Percy’s posture remained composed, though a faint tightening appeared along his jaw.

"That," Liam said quietly, "is the reality of the situation."

The wind moved across the rooftop again, rustling faintly against their clothing.

"But Sheila changes that equation."

Percy finally shifted his gaze toward him.

"Explain."

Liam nodded slightly.

"Your sister is not simply another noble of the Crescent Kingdom," he said. "She is a royal princess."

"A member of the Granger bloodline."

He turned slightly so that he was now facing Percy more directly.

"And unlike most members of your kingdom’s ruling class," Liam continued, "she possesses something extremely valuable."

Percy waited.

"Perspective."

Percy frowned faintly as Liam continued speaking.

"Sheila has already experienced things that most Crescent nobles are deliberately shielded from. She has lived beyond the rigid ideology that your kingdom instills in its citizens from birth."

"She has met people who do not share Crescent’s hatred toward dark magic."

He paused.

"And more importantly..."

His gaze settled briefly on Percy.

"She has already met me."

Percy’s eyes sharpened slightly.

"You believe my sister’s opinion will somehow influence the entire Crescent Kingdom?" He asked calmly.

Liam shook his head.

"Of course not," he said simply. "That would be absurd."

Percy folded his arms across his chest.

"Then what exactly are you suggesting?"

Liam glanced back toward the distant city again.

"I have no interest in changing Crescent’s beliefs," he said calmly. "Nor am I naive enough to believe that one person could dismantle centuries of cultural hatred."

He looked toward Percy again.

"What I need is something far simpler."

Percy watched him carefully.

"Sheila represents a bridge."

Percy’s brow furrowed.

"A bridge?"

"Yes."

Liam tapped his fingers lightly against the stone barrier.

"If the day ever comes when I am forced to deal with the Crescent Kingdom, whether through political conflict, diplomatic tension, or direct confrontation, your sister can serve as the intermediary."

Percy’s gaze hardened slightly.

"You want to use her as a diplomatic shield."

Liam did not deny it.

"In the simplest terms," he replied calmly.

Then he added quietly,

"But there is an important difference between what I intend and what you did."

Percy remained silent.

"I have no intention of stripping Sheila of her autonomy," Liam continued. "I’m not planning to isolate her or manipulate her emotions to force a desired outcome."

His eyes met Percy’s.

"I intend to allow her to choose her own path."

"Because she deserves that."

Percy studied him carefully.

"And if she refuses?" Percy asked.

Liam shrugged faintly.

"Then she refuses."

The answer was so immediate that Percy blinked once as he had not expected that.

"If Sheila decides she wants nothing to do with me or my plans," Liam continued calmly, "then I will respect that decision."

He leaned slightly against the barrier again.

"But based on everything I’ve seen so far..."

He paused briefly.

"I doubt that will happen."

Percy exhaled slowly through his nose.

"You seem very confident about that."

"Not confident," Liam corrected. "Observant."

He glanced briefly toward Percy.

"Your sister has already demonstrated the kind of resolve that makes this possible."

Percy side-eyed him slightly.

"You’re referring to the gathering before the royal council," Percy said. "When she defended your claim of protecting her."

"Yes," Liam answered simply.

Percy looked toward the city again.

"I suppose that makes sense," Percy said quietly. "You’re planning ahead. Preparing for conflicts that haven’t even happened yet."

His tone remained neutral.

"In a way," he continued, "you’re simply positioning your resources."

Liam said nothing.

Percy paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Tell me something," Percy said calmly.

Liam looked toward him.

"Why go through all of this trouble?"

Percy leaned slightly against the stone barrier now, mirroring Liam’s posture.

"I understand your reasoning," Percy continued. "You dislike leadership roles."

A faint, almost amused smile crossed his lips.

"Trust me. I understand that feeling very well."

His gaze drifted toward the skyline.

"I never wanted the position I have either. But being ranked number one left me little choice."

He looked back toward Liam.

"You’re correct that Sheila has the potential to lead others. I’ve seen that myself. And you’re also correct that her emotional stability will be important if she’s going to reach that point."

Percy paused.

"But that still doesn’t explain something."

Liam raised a brow slightly.

"You’re trying to involve her in dealings with the Crescent Kingdom." Percy’s eyes sharpened slightly. "Yet you already have several extremely powerful allies."

He held up a finger.

"Lady Moonstone."

His tone carried a hint of respect.

"She has clearly taken an interest in you. And from everything I’ve seen, she would not hesitate to deal with Crescent if they ever attempted to move against you."

Another finger.

"The Tempest Queen."

"Queen Lucy has allowed you to remain in this academy despite the political complications that come with it."

"That alone tells me she’s already taken your side."

Percy paused again.

"And then there’s the most obvious factor of all."

His gaze settled directly on Liam.

"You have someone whose mere presence could make the Crescent Kingdom think twice before acting."

He let the words hang for a moment.

"Sir Galen Magna."

Percy spoke the name calmly, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

"The strongest knight in all of Amthar."

"And according to what Lady Moonstone on that day..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"He’s your uncle."

Percy studied Liam carefully.

"With someone like him standing behind you..."

His voice softened slightly.

"You possess a force capable of shaking the Crescent Kingdom to its very foundations."

The wind moved across the rooftop again as Percy’s eyes remained fixed on Liam.

"So tell me something honestly," Percy said. "If you already have people like that in your corner..."

He paused.

"Why go through all this trouble?"

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"Why involve my sister at all..."

"When they could simply handle it for you?"