Riven Caelis leaned back in his chair, tapping his quill against the wooden desk. His eyes were focused, but his mind was already three steps ahead—planning, calculating. He had seen the potential in both the beastkins and the young witch. Strength and magic—just what he needed to rebuild from ruins.
"Bring the witch and the leader of the wolf tribe to my office," he ordered the butler.
A short while later, the butler returned, bowing respectfully. "Your Highness, they are waiting inside."
Riven gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment. "Alright."
He set down his quill and stood, brushing the dust off his coat. He opened the door and walked in. The wolf girl stood with her arms crossed, alert and wary. Beside her, the small witch looked nervous, though her eyes were sharp.
Riven gave them a polite nod. "Welcome. Let's talk."
He turned to the witch , his tone gentle but curious. "What's your name?"
She hesitated for a moment before answering, "Lyra… Lyra Thermis."
"Can you still use your powers?" he asked.
Lyra glanced away, a hint of frustration on her face. "No. I'm under a binding spell. My magic is sealed."
Riven frowned. "Butler, get the spellcaster here and have it removed."
The butler winced. "Uh… the spellcaster is currently at the border, repairing the damage from the last… incident with the wolf tribe."
Riven sighed. "Of course he is."
He then turned to the beastkin leader. "And you? What's your name?"
The tall wolf girl stood straighter. "Nira. Nira Fenla."
Riven nodded. "I want to recruit all of you."
That got their attention.
Lyra looked at him, eyes narrowing. "If you recruit me, the Church will consider you an enemy."
Riven shrugged. "What's new? I've already pissed off half the nobles. Why not go for the full collection?"
Nira asked, "What kind of recruitment?"
"I want you in my army," Riven said seriously. "And Lyra, I want you for your magical abilities—once they're unsealed, of course. You're free to bring more of your people here—witches, beastkins, whoever you trust."
Nira frowned. "I doubt they'll believe you."
"Then let them see it for themselves," Riven replied. "Live here. See if it's good enough for your companions."
The room fell quiet.
Then, slowly, both of them nodded.
"Very well," Lyra said. "We'll give you a chance."
Riven smiled. "Excellent."
He handed them both the contracts. They signed without hesitation.
"Butler," Riven called, "prepare rooms for our new guests."
As they left, he let out a long breath. "Finally, some progress."
---
The Next Morning
Riven led the seven beastkins through the training grounds toward the army barracks. The soldiers paused mid-training, jaws dropping at the sight of the tall, beast-eared figures walking behind their prince.
Riven raised a hand. "They're joining us. They're to be treated as equals—no bullying, or I'll personally toss you into the latrines."
A few soldiers chuckled nervously. The others nodded quickly.
Riven smirked and motioned toward the sparring ring. "Now then. Let's test their strength."
By the time Nira's group finished their spar, even the toughest knights looked rattled. One of the trainers whispered, "They fight like... wild animals—disciplined wild animals."
Even more surprising was how effortlessly Nira gave commands. The others followed her without hesitation, like a tightly knit unit.
Riven folded his arms, impressed. "Congratulations, Nira. You're now the leader of the second squad."
---
Later That Day — Backside of the Palace
When the spellcaster finally returned, Riven wasted no time.
"Bring Lyra and the caster to the courtyard," he ordered.
The spellcaster entered, eyes going wide when he saw the young witch.
"A witch? Here?" he blurted. "Your Highness, this could—"
"Yes, yes," Riven waved him off. "Just unseal her magic. I want to see what she can do."
The man hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, but obeyed.
A soft shimmer of light surrounded Lyra, and she staggered slightly as the spell broke. Magic returned to her body in a warm, flowing wave.
"Feeling better?" Riven asked.
She raised a hand, and the air temperature around them shifted. A nearby cup of water froze solid. Then, with a flick of her fingers, it melted and started to boil.
Riven's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, that's… really useful."
In his mind, the gears were already turning.
We can use her heat to smelt metal faster… no more waiting hours in front of a forge. And her cold magic? Perfect for building cold storage for food—no more spoiled meat. Maybe even use it for preserving medicine... or ice cream. Gods, I miss ice cream.
He cleared his throat. "Alright, Lyra. That's enough for now. You've earned your rest."
She smiled slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
As she walked away, Riven looked up at the sky and chuckled to himself.
"Not bad for a ruined city, huh?"