Chapter 80 Summary: Berras Emery Attacks with Stolen Magic
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Alucard is shocked to find his brother Berras Emery in the palace. Berras wears the golden ring that vanished from the queen’s workshop, now containing Lila’s Antari magic. Berras attacks Alucard, using silver magic to enhance his strength and control. Alucard fights back by manipulating the earth, but Berras throws him through a wall. Meanwhile, Lila remains bound to a chair, her magic suppressed by a golden bracelet. The assassin Bex enters, intending to kill Lila. Kell arrives, drawing his sword. Bex uses her power to control metal, disarming Kell, but when she picks up his sword, it burns her (as it did Lila before). Kell stabs Bex, killing her. He frees Lila, who struggles with the bracelet. Lila refuses Kell’s offer to heal her broken ribs, arguing that he must conserve his strength to face Berras. Reluctantly, Lila leans on Kell as they prepare to confront Berras.
Key Events
- Berras confronts Alucard, displaying Lila’s stolen magic via the golden ring.
- Alucard initially uses earth magic to fight, but Berras physically overpowers him and throws him through a wall.
- Bex finds Lila bound and prepares to kill her for coin.
- Kell arrives and fights Bex; Bex controls metal but is killed when she touches Kell’s sword.
- Kell frees Lila, but she cannot remove the suppressing bracelet.
- Lila refuses Kell’s healing, insisting he remain capable of fighting Berras.
- Lila and Kell prepare to go after Berras.
Character Development
- Lila Bard: Forced into a rare position of vulnerability—bound, injured, and stripped of her magic. Her stubbornness and tactical thinking remain: she refuses healing not out of pride but because Kell’s ability to fight is more important.
- Kell Maresh: Demonstrates growth as a swordsman, having trained with Lila. He chooses steel over magic, and the bond with his sword (which burned Lila in an earlier chapter) now serves him—it rejects Bex. His care for Lila is evident in his gentle insistence that she lean on him.
- Alucard Emery: Confronted by his brother Berras, Alucard is off-balance emotionally. He uses his earth magic creatively, but Berras’s stolen power and physical strength overwhelm him.
- Berras Emery: Revealed as the thief of the golden ring. He is cruel, taunting Alucard, and shows no remorse for his plot against the royal family. His desire to kill Alucard with his own hands suggests deep personal hatred.
- Bex: A mercenary assassin who values coin above all. She respects skill but underestimates Kell’s bond with his blade.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- Stolen Power: The golden ring represents power taken by force—Berras wields Lila’s magic, a violation of the Antari’s unique connection. The golden bracelet similarly suppresses Lila’s own power.
- Family and Betrayal: Alucard’s shock at his brother’s appearance underscores the theme of family as a source of both love and danger. Berras’s betrayal is personal and intimate.
- Skill vs. Magic: Kell’s reliance on swordsmanship rather than magic is a motif throughout this chapter. Bex’s taunt (“someone will wonder what’s happened to your magic”) and Kell’s victory through steel highlight his evolving identity.
- Sacrifice and Care: Lila’s refusal of healing to preserve Kell’s strength is a selfless act, showing her growth from a purely selfish character.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter escalates the conflict by bringing Berras directly into the palace and revealing the extent of his plot: he has the persalis doormaker, allied with assassins, and wields stolen Antari magic. It places Alucard in mortal danger and tests Lila and Kell’s partnership. The defeat of Bex removes one threat but leaves Berras as a major antagonist. Lila’s vulnerability and Kell’s sword skills set up a thematic contrast that will likely pay off in the final confrontation.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lila refuse Kell’s healing magic? Lila understands that when Kell heals someone, he experiences their pain. With Berras still at large and wielding Lila’s stolen magic, Kell must be at full strength to fight. She chooses to endure her injuries so that Kell can remain combat-ready.
2. How does Berras obtain Antari magic? Berras stole the golden ring from the queen’s workshop. The ring previously belonged to Lila and contained her Antari power. By wearing it, Berras gains access to Lila’s magic, though he does not have her natural affinity or control.
3. What is significant about Kell’s sword in this fight? Earlier, when Lila tried to claim one of Kell’s swords, it burned her hand. In this chapter, when Bex picks up the fallen sword, it burns her too, allowing Kell to kill her. The sword is magically bonded to Kell, rejecting anyone else and proving that true mastery comes from earned connection, not just skill.