As the grand gates of the Williams mansion slowly creaked open, a wave of tension swept over us. The steel doors parted like curtains before a colossal stage, revealing marbled floors and majestic halls. We stepped inside cautiously, our footsteps echoing against the glossy tiles. The walls were adorned with ancient relics, grand tapestries, and paintings that looked like they had witnessed centuries of secrets.
Servants lined the edges of the hall, dressed in sharp uniforms, their postures stiff. But none dared to meet our gaze. Their eyes flicked toward us with a hint of curiosity, maybe even fear, but the moment any of us looked back, they quickly looked away. The air was thick with silence and unspoken judgment.
Claire leaned toward Isabella, her voice soft but filled with awe. "So this is the mansion you lived in? It looks so big... so great."
Isabella nodded, a small smile forming on her lips, but I saw the sadness lingering beneath it. "Yeah... this is my home."
Before anyone could say more, a voice interrupted from ahead. One I remembered. Sharp, arrogant, unmistakable.
"It seems you guys arrived before us."
Claudy.
He stood tall, his arms crossed, his tone laced with condescension. The same Claudy who once protected Isabella. His presence felt heavy, as though the air itself respected his rank. Every servant immediately bowed their heads in his presence and greeted him with reverence. Yet not a single one greeted Isabella.
My jaw clenched. The hypocrisy.
Claudy's gaze drifted toward the rest of us—the "rookies" as he called us. "So, you brought these soldiers? You know you could've taken the official Williams family soldiers into the inheritance war, don't you? But you still brought... them?"
He scoffed, looking Isabella straight in the eyes. "Tell me, Isabella. Do you really think you can win with just these guys?"
I saw Isabella's eyes harden. Her posture straightened. She didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Didn't bow.
"What do you think?" she asked, voice unwavering.
I caught something subtle in Claudy's eyes. A flicker of surprise. Maybe even pride.
"So this is it then," he muttered under his breath. "I no longer need to protect this child. She's braver now." Then, after a beat, more to himself than anyone, he added, "But I still should protect her... from father."
His words hung in the air for only a moment before another set of footsteps echoed through the hall. This time, more elegant. Lighter. As if dancing across the marble.
A girl entered. Her presence was mesmerizing. Golden curls framed a flawless face, and her eyes sparkled with intelligence and grace. It felt like an angel had descended. Every movement of hers seemed like poetry.
"How are you, Bella? Claudy? I missed you guys."
Rose.
Isabella stepped forward. "Rose. I'm fine. It's good to see you."
I couldn't take my eyes off her. This was *the* Rose? The one with unmatched grace and telekinetic skill?
Rose turned to Isabella's group—to us.
"So, these are your soldiers?" she asked.
"Yeah," Isabella replied, calm and composed.
Rose's eyes scanned over us and paused on me. "They look young. Especially this one. He looks younger than us."
"He's about to turn seventeen," Isabella said.
"So he's three years younger than me," Rose said with a small smirk. "Hey kid, what's your name?"
I stepped forward, refusing to let the condescension shake me. "I'm Judas. And I'm not a kid."
Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "So the kid's got guts. I'll be watching your guts in the field."
She turned, walking away, but just before disappearing behind the corridor, she looked back at me again—a gaze I couldn't quite interpret.
Something churned inside me. Something strange.
"Hey. Hey. Hello. Oi, Judas. Are you here?" Powell waved a hand in front of my face.
"What happened?" Sai asked, noticing my trance.
"Nothing," I replied. But the feeling still lingered. That look from Rose... What was it?
Claire broke the moment. "So, Isabella... she's your other elder sister, right?"
"Well, technically, yes," Isabella replied.
"What do you mean?" Claire asked.
"We're dizygotic twins. She was born seconds before me."
"Wait... that means you're twenty?" Claire blinked.
"Yes, that's right," Isabella confirmed.
Before more questions could follow, Claudy interrupted. "If the chitchat is over, let's go to the Legacy Hall. Soon, they're going to announce the rules for the Inheritance War."
Isabella nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
The Legacy Hall loomed ahead, a giant chamber echoing with history and power. The walls were towering, painted with strange images that felt alive. They depicted battles, victories, and what I guessed were the past heirs of the Williams line. Soldiers lined the hall, their armor gleaming under the chandelier light.
At the center stood a tall man. His presence was terrifyingly commanding. I can feel.He is dangerous.
Rose and Riana entered right after us, standing on the opposite end. All four heirs of the Williams family, with their chosen soldiers, were now gathered.
A man stepped forward, announcing in a booming voice that rippled through the chamber:
"Now that everyone has arrived, I present to you the head of the Williams Family. The Dictator who rules the skies. The one who controls everything on this continent."
He paused dramatically as the massive twin doors at the front of the hall slowly opened.
Through the grandeur, a figure emerged, cloaked in silver, his presence sending a chill through the air.
"King Aurius Williams."
The hall erupted.
"ALL HAIL THE KING! ALL HAIL THE KING!"
I stood still, watching the man known as the king. His silver cloak shimmered under the grand lights. His eyes were unreadable, like deep wells that had swallowed every secret of this world.
Then he stepped forward, his voice low but filled with unquestionable power.
"Now I am about to announce the rules and regulations... of the Inheritance War."
My heart pounded. This was it. The beginning of everything. The beginning of war. The beginning of the end.
The Inheritance War had begun.