Eastern Zhonguo – Underground Bunkers
News of the army's return swept through the fortified underground bunkers nestled deep beneath the mountains of eastern Zhonguo. Though still recovering from his injuries, Callum had taken charge of the bunker's management during Erebus's campaign, and now stood at the forefront to receive the returning soldiers.
It wasn't long before Lu Yin, one of Erebus's most trusted lieutenants, made his way to the command level. Upon hearing that Callum was present, he'd initially dismissed the notion. Only when he spoke to the man himself did the truth settle in.
Callum, with his usual candor and an easy smile, broke the ice.
"So, how's my brother doing?" he asked, adjusting his overcoat as the two patrolled the outer sectors of the region, now mostly cleared of demonic remnants. "Did he find his wife and kids?"
"The general found them safe," Lu Yin replied, his voice measured and respectful. "But he's extremely protective of them. None of us were ever formally introduced. Even the palace guards kept their distance."
Callum chuckled heartily, his laughter echoing faintly in the cavernous corridor. "That sounds like him. But I'll tell you this—his wife is stunning."
"R–really?" Lu Yin asked, caught off guard by the sudden familiarity in tone.
Callum nodded, eyes twinkling. "She's the crowned princess of Amanécer. A woman whose beauty alone could spark wars. But it's not just her beauty—her presence, her dignity. Erebus is lucky. No wonder he's fiercely protective."
"That explains the secrecy," Lu Yin said thoughtfully. "Even the guards said it felt awkward being too close."
Callum glanced around as the patrol continued through an area now blooming with signs of life.
"He wants to bring them back home. That much I heard him say to Amanécer's emperor," Lu Yin added.
"He will," Callum said with quiet conviction. "He always keeps his word."
Lu Yin smiled faintly and nodded. "I hope so."
" I miss Calypso and Lucius too... this war has kept us apart too long." Callum grumbled.
Silence stretched between them for a few moments until Lu Yin spoke again.
"The general dreams of uniting humans and demons under one empire. A realm where all are equal. That's what he's fighting for—and we'll follow him to the end to see that dream realized."
"You speak with deep loyalty," Callum noted.
"Not just me," Lu Yin said, pulling his mount to a halt near a weathered but living tree, its limbs decorated with small white flowers. "All of us. Erebus gave purpose to the forgotten. We were orphans, broken and cast aside. He raised us without judgment. How could we ever betray the one who gave us a reason to live?"
A soldier rode up swiftly and saluted.
"Lieutenant Lu Yin! The area has been fully secured—no threats remain. Rubble cleared, perimeter established. No civilian presence detected. The land is safe for re-entry."
Lu Yin nodded. "Good. Send word to the general—Phase One of resettlement has begun."
He turned back, his gaze falling on the distant ruins—the remnants of his homeland.
"This place…" he said softly. "I grew up here. It used to breathe history, echo with culture, and overflow with life. Now..."
Callum placed a hand on his shoulder. "It will again. You'll hear laughter here soon."
Lu Yin's dark eyes, sharp and resolute, remained fixed on the horizon as the wind rustled through his high ponytail.
"The war's over," he murmured. "But it's too quiet…quiet enough to make you wonder what still hides in the shadows."
He closed his eyes briefly and thought of his younger sister.
Lu Mei.
He could see it in his mind—the home he wanted to build. A quiet house by a waterfall, nestled between wildflower fields. Just the two of them, away from the horrors of war. A life of peace. A life they never had, but one they could still create.
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Stygian fortress...
Mina quietly laid out lunch on the low table, her movements careful not to disturb the quiet that had settled in the room. Calypso sat by the window, her gaze drifting beyond the glass panes to where the afternoon sun dappled the palace gardens in gold.
A soft sigh escaped her lips. Though the chamber was warm and filled with the scent of spiced stew, an ache lingered in her chest—an emptiness carved by distance. She longed for the comfort of Callum's embrace, the steady beat of his heart against hers, and the warmth in his eyes when he looked at her, as though she alone completed his world.
At the table, Lucius devoured his portion with the kind of hunger only a child could muster. Despite his slender frame, he had inherited his father's legendary appetite—something that often astonished those who didn't know him. Watching him now, his cheeks puffed slightly with food, Calypso couldn't help but smile. She leaned forward and gently wiped the crumbs from the corner of his mouth, her touch tender, motherly.
The gesture stirred a memory—one from their earlier days, when the world was still new for her and Callum. She remembered asking him, during a quiet moment beneath the stars, what he loved most in the world. The first two times, he had blushed, her name barely whispered from his lips. But the third time, he had grinned sheepishly and said: "Food."
She had laughed until tears filled her eyes. It was such a Callum thing to say—sincere and utterly unpretentious.
"I hope he returns to us soon," she murmured softly, mostly to herself.
Her gaze turned once again toward the horizon, as her mind wandered to the future they had dreamed of together. Perhaps, when the world was a little quieter and their days less clouded by uncertainty, they could try for another child.
"A daughter this time," she whispered, a hopeful smile tugging at her lips.
She imagined a tiny girl with Callum's fiery autumn-hued hair—like the changing foliage of the eastern woods—and her own emerald green eyes. Or perhaps the reverse: her dark, curling locks and Callum's deep, smoky-gray gaze. Either way, she'd be beautiful.
"She would look perfect in frilly little dresses," Calypso mused, her voice wistful. "With ribbons and tiny boots…"
Lucius, halfway through another bite, looked up at her curiously, crumbs on his chin once again.
Calypso chuckled softly. Even if life still felt incomplete without Callum beside her, moments like these—quiet, hopeful, filled with love—made the waiting just a little easier.
A doorknock grabbed her attention and Blake asked for her permission. She permitted entry as Mina opened the chamber doors.
"My lady. This letter was addressed to you." Blake informed and handed out the letter.
"Who is it from?" Calypso had a strong feeling it would be from her husband.
" There's no name of the sender. But someone from the border separating human realm and Wahrheit has delivered it and asked to be given it to you."
While he informed her Calypso was already reading through the contents absorbing every syllabe written in the letter..
She trembled as she read and tearfully hugged the letter as if it were a living creature.
" My lady? A-are you alright?" Blake looked flustered as he couldn't understand how to calm her.
" Yes!" Calypso smiles while tear escaped her eye.
" He is safe and sound. He will be back home soon."
Blake exhaled in relief.
He was now relaxed as whole since Alessio and gos division entered Wahrheit.
Blake immediately recognized the banner. The merged insignia of houses Stygian and imperial house of Mircéa came through all corners of Wahrheit.
When they reached the Stygian territory, Ahriman and the other men who pledged loyalty to him in past recieved them.
"The lord...I home he will be back soon." Blake looked outside the window with a smile that was a rare emotion he ever displayed- a stark contrast to his stoic personality.