The third dawn after their defeat at the underground gate rose with pale light piercing through the towers of Emerald Kingdom. Yet the coolness of the morning could not soothe the wounded hearts of the warriors returning with shattered souls.
In one of the healing chambers, Lucifer sat silently in a corner, turning his back to the door. His hands were clenched tightly on his knees, his shoulders trembling under the weight of guilt. His breath was heavy, as if he carried the entire burden of the war in his chest.
He felt defeated.
The images of his fallen comrades replayed endlessly in his mind — their screams, their blood, even their final breaths left without a chance to say goodbye.
"What is the point of me being born into this world…" he muttered in a hoarse, barely audible voice.
Tears fell one by one, landing on the bandages wrapped around the wound on his chest. He bit his lip until it bled. "If all I do is become a burden… if all I do is get people killed…"
His sobs broke through. For the first time, Lucifer — son of demon and angel, a rank E Hunter who was always joking — cried unashamedly, without stopping, like a child who had lost all his footholds.
"I'm… worthless…" his voice cracked. "Arthur lost his arm… Kaela was badly hurt… all our friends died… just because I was too weak…"
His sobs grew louder, filling the silent room.
Not long after, a soft voice approached. Arthur walked slowly toward him, his left arm now gone, wrapped neatly in white bandages. His red hair was messy, his eyes still tired, but full of genuine warmth.
"Lucifer…" he called gently.
Lucifer looked up with tear-swollen eyes, his chest tightening. "Arthur…"
Arthur came closer and rested his right hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "You are not a burden," he said firmly, though his own voice trembled. "You and Kaela are like my children. Family to me. And family… is never a burden."
Lucifer lowered his head again, shoulders shaking. "But if I… if I had been stronger… they wouldn't have had to die…"
Arthur took a long breath. "Lucifer, listen to me. If people could choose, I wouldn't want to lose my arm either. But I would give it up again and again, if it meant saving the two of you."
Lucifer sobbed harder. "Arthur…"
"Never feel alone," Arthur continued, his tone steady yet gentle. "You are my child, Kaela is my child. We are family. And family always stands together. Never give up."
Lucifer wiped his tears, though he was still trembling. Slowly, his breathing began to steady. He nodded weakly. "Thank you… Arthur…"
Arthur grasped his shoulder again and gave it a reassuring squeeze, imparting a strength that words could never quite express.
---
Meanwhile, in the grand hall of Emerald Kingdom, an emergency meeting had begun.
Seated upon a throne carved with the symbol of a golden dragon, King Drako surveyed the entire room with a confident gaze. His golden hair gleamed in the torchlight, his golden eyes sharp, and a small cut on the corner of his lip made his face appear even more resolute. Drako radiated a just and commanding presence, making anyone feel safe in his presence.
Beside him stood a muscular man with a thin beard, a long spear strapped to his back. He was Gareth, a rank A Hunter, the King's right-hand man and most trusted friend. His eyes were sharp, his body as strong as iron, and his demeanor full of honor.
Drako spoke in a deep voice, calming the room. "Emerald Kingdom will not fall. Not today, not tomorrow. Even if Azog brings monsters, we will face them together."
Gareth added in a loud, confident tone, "I have prepared the elite forces. We will not allow the orcs to build up strength in the mountains. We will destroy the underground gate before they have another chance to attack."
One of the nobles looked uneasy. "But our forces are still weak…"
Drako fixed him with a steady look. "The heart of man is never weak. We will fight."
Kaela, standing at the threshold of the hall, heard these words with trembling eyes. Her body was still frail, yet she felt a spark reignite in her chest.
"I won't lose again," she whispered softly, looking at the sky that was beginning to glow through the stone window.
The sky had already shifted to mid-morning by the time the hall was crowded with advisors, Hunters, and war officers. Beneath the flickering torches, a large map lay spread across a round wooden table. Drako stood tall beside it, pointing his finger at a red mark — the underground gate that had become the source of disaster the night before.
"If we leave this gap open," he said with a steady voice, "they will keep flooding in like a torrent. Our forces will be exhausted to the point of extinction."
Gareth, the rank A Hunter, stood beside him with his spear resting on his shoulder. "The main orc forces in the western mountains have been repelled. But the eastern ranks could advance at any time," he added, studying the map with a deep crease on his forehead.
Arthur, standing half-supported — the loss of his left arm still paining him — spoke up. "We need to cut off their supply lines. Otherwise they will reinforce that gate again."
Kaela added, her voice still a bit hoarse, "And we cannot forget… Azog is not finished yet. He could appear at any moment."
Lucifer, standing a little behind them, looked at the floor with sorrowful, bloodshot eyes. The traces of his tears had not fully dried, yet he tried to stand tall, swallowing down the guilt that still stabbed at his heart.
Suddenly, the doors of the hall swung open with a loud creak. A scout rushed in, gasping for breath, his body covered in dust, his cloak torn by wild winds. He nearly collapsed to his knees before King Drako.
"Your Majesty!" he shouted between ragged breaths. "Emergency news…!"
Drako turned quickly. "Calm yourself, catch your breath, then speak."
The scout gulped, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. "Thousands of orc troops… they're already moving from the east, led directly by Azog… and… and…"
Kaela sharpened her hearing, her breath caught.
The scout looked at them all with a horrified face. "Skull is with them… along with an orc in black armor, believed to be Azog's right hand… and…"
He paused, trembling. "A giant wolf… a monster the size of a tower! They call it… Fenrir!"
The hall froze. Silent. Even the sound of held breaths could be heard.
Lucifer turned sharply. "Fenrir…? Are you sure?"
The scout nodded frantically. "I saw it with my own eyes, sir. That monster walked through the trees, crushing villagers' houses along the border. The orc troops followed it… there are thousands of them!"
Drako gripped the arm of his chair, his golden eyes blazing. The small cut on his lip only made his face appear even more determined. "How far are they from Emerald Kingdom?"
"At most two days, Your Majesty!" the scout answered, his voice cracking in fear.
Arthur stared at Kaela, eyes wide. "Two days? That's too soon…"
Kaela felt her heart pounding wildly. "Fenrir… that monster is not just a beast, it is an ancient cursed creature. If it truly comes, it won't be just Emerald Kingdom that is destroyed…"
Gareth slammed the butt of his spear onto the floor. "We don't have time to argue. The strategy must be decided immediately!"
Drako nodded, his gaze piercing through everyone in the room. "Then we will not only close the underground gate," he declared firmly, his voice trembling with a burning resolve, "we will defend Emerald Kingdom to the last drop of blood."
Kaela clenched her fists, though her body was still weak. "If we truly have to fight again… I won't run."
Arthur rested his right hand on Kaela's shoulder. "None of us will run. You two," he turned to Lucifer and Kaela, "are my children, my family. I will not let anyone tear us apart."
Lucifer looked at Arthur, breath caught, then slowly nodded. Though his heart still held trauma and guilt, the spark of courage had begun to light up in his eyes again.
Drako turned to all the soldiers, his voice thundering. "We will not surrender. Gather all Hunters, call up the reserve knights, ready the archers on the fortress towers. Gareth, you will lead the vanguard. Arthur, Kaela, Lucifer — you will remain with the elite troops. I trust you all."
Gareth bowed respectfully. "Understood, Your Majesty."
Arthur straightened himself despite still trembling, looking at Drako with respect. "We will not disappoint you."
Kaela took a deep breath, gazing at the sunlight streaming through the high glass windows of the great hall. There, the morning light seemed to shimmer along with the dark shadows looming outside.
Fenrir…
Azog…
Skull…
You will not take our home away again, Kaela whispered in her heart.