The tranquil Uthean forest quivered beneath the thunderous roar of Aviators streaking across the sky, their flashing lights carving through the canopy.
"With how his aura flares, he's fighting," Uriel observed, eyes locked on the shimmering surface of the Tele Mirror.
---
"Master, shall I end him?" Valhalla emerged from the darkness, his voice cold, unwavering.
Adrian reclined slightly, his gaze unreadable. "And what would that accomplish?" He shook his head, amusement flickering behind his eyes. "It was a fair duel. I made it clear—the loser forfeits any claim to Eloise." A pause. His voice softened, almost wistful. "Not that she was ever mine to begin with."
Valhalla's expression tightened with unyielding devotion. "Any who reject you are fools, Master." His voice carried the weight of his convictions. "You lifted me from the abyss, shattered my illusions, and showed me truth. For that, I serve you—you are god to me. I will make the world bow before you."
Adrian chuckled, his gaze sharpening. "If the dragons still exist, surely they seek a king."
"There is no greater honor than standing by your side," Valhalla affirmed.
Adrian's expression darkened, his voice thick with ambition. "Uthean is merely the beginning. I will conquer the world."
---
The Vaciem brothers stood before the Thorne Council, heads bowed in reverence.
"Our gratitude for rescuing and sheltering our brother," Uriel said solemnly.
"I expected the esteemed Vaciem to seek us out, but not so soon," Lue mused, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.
"Reuniting with our brother means the world to us," Uriel continued, "but greater opportunities lie ahead."
"The Vaciem kingdom has grown formidable," he declared. "It now stands as the face of the Hidden race. Though the Crimson Peak rivals us in strength, they remain shrouded in secrecy."
A flicker of interest sparked in Lue's eyes. "And what of the tragedy that struck my people?"
"We were short-handed at the time," Uriel admitted.
"I don't need your sympathy." Lue's smile never wavered. "We endured."
"All matters aside," Uriel pressed on, "the Vaciem kingdom commands strength equal to the great powers of our world. We are the new face of the Hidden society."
Lue arched a brow.
"He never truly belonged to our world," Uriel explained, sensing her skepticism. "He was merely passing through. Besides, he cannot return—the invaders are proving far more dangerous than anticipated."
"How many races stand with you?"
"Angels, centaurs, unicorns, Pegasi… and numerous minor factions. At least thirty have joined our cause."
"And the Crimson Peak?"
"We all know their kind led to our downfall." Uriel's voice hardened. "Those bats and dogs betrayed us for them. They must have amassed equal numbers."
Lue exchanged glances with the council before they all rose, bowing in unison. "It would be an honor to join the Vaciem kingdom."
---
Uthean Forest – A Familiar Clearing: Where Eloise rescued Leron
Eloise grasped Leron's hands, trembling.
"When I was seven, I lost everything," she whispered. "I told myself I would sever all attachments—to shield myself from grief. But since I met you, I've realized…" She clenched his hands even tighter. "I can't live by that principle anymore."
"Eloise, you are my life and love now. My heart beats for you and you alone." Leron's words were fervent, unwavering. They embraced, lost in the warmth of their bond.
Adrian, watching through the eyes of his summoned raven-dove, allowed no trace of emotion to betray him. And yet, deep in the recesses of his heart, something ached. He masked it well beneath his cold facade.
"Well… truly loving someone depends on your ability to let go." Adrian shut his eyes, turning his attention to the tomes of kingdom-building before him, burying his thoughts in strategy.
---
The forest stood still for a heartbeat. The whisper of leaves, the rustling wind. But beneath the hush lurked unseen predators.
Glowing blue eyes pierced the gloom. Watching. Waiting. Not Adrian's creatures—something else.
Swoosh.
A blur of fur and claws. Thirteen beings—humanoid yet unmistakably wolf-like—lunged at them.
"Huh—" Leron barely had time to react.
Eloise, catching the horror in his eyes, turned just in time—just in time to witness the crimson bloom of her own blood spilling from the gash in her shoulder.
---
**Earlier—Uthean**
Hundreds of werewolves poured into the seven domains of Uthean, sparing none in their brutal onslaught.
The Angel Knights and Carter Knights, two formations of steel and valor, stood their ground, clashing against the invaders in a desperate bid for survival.
The howls of the werewolves intertwined with the battle cries of the angels. Towering four-meter angels met werewolves no taller than one-and-a-half meters in a deadly struggle.
House Wilbert.
A house of trade, not battle. The worst-suited against the invasion. And it showed.
Adrian surveyed the carnage at its gates—bodies of knights strewn across the blood-soaked earth. Not a single werewolf corpse among them.
"Young master…"
A feeble voice.
Christopher, the chief knight, lay buried under his fallen comrades. He had lost an arm. An eye.
Adrian bent beside him.
"Run…" Christopher wheezed, coughing between shallow breaths. "Run, take sir… take the madams…"
Adrian's gaze remained unmoved. "Is that all?"
He turned to the werewolves at the gate, then back to Christopher.
Rune Magic: **Imbue Power.**
A golden light encased Christopher. Sigils shimmered around him. His ruined arm and eye reconstructed in luminescent gold.
"Valhalla." Adrian's voice was steel. "Kill them all."
Swoosh.
Only the wind remained. And falling heads.
Adrian moved among the wounded guards, restoring five of them. "You are now my judgment... Ragnarök ."
---
**Eloise…**
The raven-dove transmitted its sight. Adrian stiffened.
"Eloise… Eloise?"
No response.
"FOOLS."
His limitless mana burst forth, painting the sky in obsidian.
Woosh.
In an instant, he was there.
By Eloise.
His gaze flickered to Leron—barely holding his ground.
The heads of the werewolves fell.
"Yggdrasil."
Roots sprang from the earth, sealing Eloise within.
"<< The dead never die, herrrhh Daneel?>>"
The old fool stirred.
The ancient fool took control of Adrian's body.