The second dawn after the bloody war rose calmer than before. The sun slowly revealed its face above the towers of Emerald Kingdom, as if trying to soothe the wounds that had not yet fully healed. But behind that calmness, anxiety still clung to every wall, in every heart of those who had witnessed the hell of the previous night.
Inside the healing tent, Kaela was finally able to sit up, though she was still weak. Her white hair flowed down, partly draped over her shoulders, and her flawless jade-like skin showed a bit more color today than yesterday. Her gaze remained sharp, full of determination even if her body was not yet fully recovered.
Arthur, who sat on a wooden chair not far from her bed, looked at Kaela with a relieved smile. "You look much better today," he said, trying to hide the worry in his chest.
Kaela returned a faint smile. "My body may be tired, but my mind won't stop. I can't relax if the enemy is still out there."
Lucifer, leaning casually against the side of the tent door as usual, chimed in. "As long as your brain is fine, that's good enough," he teased, though the look in his eyes showed genuine relief.
Kaela looked at Lucifer, letting out a small laugh even though her breathing was still labored. "Lucifer, you still manage to joke even in a moment like this."
"If I don't joke, you'll all get even more stressed," Lucifer replied in a playful tone, flashing his usual grin.
Before they could argue further, a royal scout burst into the tent, breathing hard. His body was covered in dust, and his cloak was torn in several places. "Sir Arthur, Lady Kaela, Hunter Lucifer—urgent report!" he blurted out, still catching his breath.
Arthur stood up alertly. "Calm down, take a breath first. What's going on?"
The scout swallowed, then spoke with a tense face, "We found movements of orc troops in the east, far larger than we estimated. They've also reopened an underground gate in the Black Mountains. There are signs of additional troops gathering from the eastern regions."
Kaela clenched her blanket, trying to stand even though Arthur held her back. "The underground gate... they really intend to attack again," she murmured.
Lucifer let out a long sigh, this time without his usual grin. "It seems Skull was just the opening act, and Azog will lead directly," he said seriously.
Arthur turned to Kaela with a resolute gaze. "We can't let that gate stay open."
Kaela nodded slowly. "We have to close it... otherwise this war will never end."
---
That very day, the royal council called an emergency meeting in the grand hall. Nobles, military officers, and Hunters sat around a round table full of strategy maps. Their faces were tense, some still visibly shocked by the chaos that had only just subsided yesterday.
Arthur stood at Kaela's side, while Lucifer stood casually behind them. A royal general, with a stern face and a thick mustache, opened the meeting with a strong voice.
"We all know this news is frightening," he said, looking around. "But we cannot allow the orc troops to rebuild their strength in the eastern mountains."
A silver-haired noble interrupted, "But our troops are still exhausted! Wouldn't it be better to defend inside Emerald Kingdom's walls?"
Kaela met his eyes firmly. "If we just wait, they will attack with their full might. Believe me, I've felt Skull's magic myself yesterday — they will not stop."
Some nodded in agreement, but quite a few still hesitated. The debate heated up. Voices overlapped, accusations were thrown, and even some yelling erupted.
Lucifer, in his laid-back style, stepped forward. "Hey, hey," he said while tapping the table, "are we here to fight each other or to win? Calm down."
All eyes turned to him, some still annoyed, but a few smiled faintly.
Arthur added, "Lucifer is right. We won't get anything by shouting. We need a decision."
After a long discussion, finally one of the officers concluded, "Then we will send an elite team to destroy the underground gate. The main army will stay in Emerald Kingdom to hold off any possible orc attack."
Kaela immediately raised her hand. "I'm going."
Arthur turned, worried. "You're not fully recovered yet."
"I won't just sit here while everyone risks their lives," Kaela answered firmly.
Lucifer patted his own chest. "I'm going too. You'll need a cool guy to keep the mood light," he chuckled, though his eyes showed determination.
Arthur sighed, then smiled. "All right. If you're going, I won't stay behind either."
---
Toward the afternoon, another piece of news struck the hope that had just begun to rise. A messenger ran in, gasping for air, carrying bad news.
"There's one more thing," he said between breaths. "Azog... has summoned a guardian monster for the gate... it's more dangerous than the undead we faced yesterday."
A suffocating silence fell upon the meeting room. Everyone glanced at one another with tense faces.
Kaela clenched her fist. "No matter how big that monster is. We cannot let that gate remain open."
Arthur looked at Kaela, recognizing the extraordinary courage behind her still-fragile body. "If that's what you want, we'll do it together."
Lucifer put an arm around both of them in a casual, friendly way, but his tone was sincere. "If we have to die, we'll die together. Deal?"
Kaela let out a small laugh, though her voice was weak. "Don't talk about dying yet. I'm not ready to die, Lucifer."
Arthur nodded resolutely. "I won't let either of you die alone."