Ten years had passed since the Battle for Akiyama, and Eldoria had flourished under the council's guidance. The alliance between humans, elves, and vampires was now a cornerstone of society—trade routes connected every corner of the land, cultural exchanges were commonplace, and a new generation grew up knowing nothing of the old hatreds.
Hana and Kenji had married five years earlier, and they now had two children: a daughter named Yuki, who had inherited her mother's courage and her father's grace, and a son named Ren, who possessed a rare gift for magic that drew from both human and vampire heritage.
On a crisp autumn morning, Hana stood in the palace courtyard, watching Yuki and Ren practice swordplay with Miha, who had become the royal combat instructor. Yuki, at twelve years old, moved with the same determination Hana had shown at her age, while Ren, ten years old, used his magic to enhance his movements, creating small bursts of light that made his strikes faster and more precise.
"They're going to be remarkable leaders someday," Kenji said, joining Hana at her side.
Hana smiled, her eyes never leaving their children. "I just hope they never have to face the darkness we did," she replied. "I want them to build, not fight."
Kenji took her hand. "We've worked hard to make sure they won't have to," he said. "But we also have to prepare them. The shadows will always exist—we just have to teach them how to keep the light burning bright."
Their conversation was interrupted by Aerion, who hurried into the courtyard with a serious expression. "Hana, Kenji," he said, bowing respectfully. "We have a problem. Scouts have reported strange activity in the Eastern Wastes—ruins that have been silent for centuries are showing signs of magic. Dark magic."
Hana's brow furrowed with concern. The Eastern Wastes were home to ancient civilizations that had vanished millennia ago, their secrets lost to time. "Do we know what kind of magic?" she asked.
"Not yet," Aerion replied. "But it feels familiar—similar to what we faced with Kaito and the Shadow Syndicate, but older. More powerful."
Kenji nodded grimly. "Then we need to investigate," he said. "But we can't go alone. We'll take a small, trusted team—enough to protect us, but not enough to provoke whatever is there."
Hana looked at her children, then back at Aerion. "I'll go," she said firmly. "But we need to be careful. Whatever is in those ruins could threaten everything we've built."