Three figures emerged from the army, riding atop different beasts. One more weird than the others, as they approached the defensive wall that was built all around the estate of Blood Denegis.
"How long has it been, Lord Elion of Blood Denegis?" asked a middle-aged woman atop a gray bear.
"Not long enough, I fear. Ela, Supreme Commander of the Iron Line," replied Elion to the woman with disgust in his voice.
"What's with the attitude, Lord Elion? And what became of the small gift we offered you?" she asked, a wicked smile on her lips.
"They all became food for the worms. Even the captured ones. Here. Take them back," said Elion as hundreds of bags were thrown over the defensive walls at the three riders, heads of the captive soldiers with nails in their eyes falling from them.
"And here I thought you had more of a taste for honor," replied Ela.
"My honor died with the High Monarch. And I see that so did yours." Elion spat.
"Quite the words you are uttering, Lord Elion of Bood Denegis, son of the Gray Lion," said one of the other two riders.
"Who is the bastard daring to utter the name of my father with such leisure?" Elion ordered to know.
"An old friend," said the man riding a giant direwolf, taking his hood off and revealing his face.
The man looked young and strong. But his eyes betrayed him. Ancient eyes. Wiser than his face deserved. Elion knew who it was. The man did not need an introduction. Not to him.
The man's emerald green eyes looked like shining stones as they rose to look into Elion's. The armor he held hidden under the dirty cape he used to cover himself with looked beautiful to the people witnessing it for the first time.
The white and golden armor that he had stood on his body as if it were his skin, giving him a royal air.
Yet all soldiers witnessing the interaction knew. The armor was not just for decoration. It protected him. They knew their swords could not pierce it. Warriors always knew such things.
But the man's weapon was not visible. No sword attached to his body, no spear in his hand. Nothing.
Yet he felt deadlier than an arrow coming their way. Was this Vita? The effect of some kind of spell? They did not understand, nor did they get the chance to understand.
As the woman next to him and Ela, who appeared to be a Daughter, spoke, "You are standing face to face with the King of Ulveth Kingdom, Oren Yalan Ulveth the IV."
"You fucking bastard…" muttered Elion seeing him.
"A good evening to you, too!" Yalan replied with a smile.
"And Daughter, I am looking down while your king is looking up at me. We are not face to face," exclaimed Elion.
"For now, that is," Yalan mentioned, "But I am not here to throw insults at each other, old friend. I am here to negotiate your surrender."
"Oh, are you?" Elion asked, "Do you think we, Noble Bloods of Senvia Empire, really are so defenseless as to feel threatened by a forgotten king in a forgotten kingdom?"
"Your High Monarch is dead. The Sedes Sanguinis is empty. Help me take that throne, and I swear to you that you will become the second most influential Noble Blood of this new empire. Refuse, and well… do I need to say it? Look behind you? Only these brothers and sisters of yours would be happy enough to wipe the name of your Blood from this world. Do not make me do it, Elion. For I will do it if you do so wish," explained Yalan.
"Your threats do not work on me, Whisperer. And the traitorous bastards behind you will all eat steel. They are Tainted. Forsaken by the Vita," Elion replied.
"But not forsaken by me. Your Empire made sure to keep commoners as weak as possible while you, Noble Bloods, grew stronger. And HAHA, do not get me on about the Imperial Family, or what they were and did in the past. Your systems are FUCKED. And I am here, graciously, aiding my commoner friends in their wish." Yalan exclaimed loudly.
At his words, the colossal army roared, making most of the soldiers behind the defensive walls cover their ears because of the sheer volume. But Elion did not do that.
He listened to every sound, every second of it, until it ended. As blood started trickling from his ears.
"And what is that wish you are speaking of, Yalan? Tell me, Ela." Elion ordered.
"The right of the commoners to harvest Raw Vita without being persecuted for it. We have the right to follow our strengths and to grow stronger. The Noble and Imperial Bloods kept that from us for far too long." Ela explained.
"And I am here to offer them that," Yalan grinned, "Make your choice, Elion. You will not have another opportunity when the sun rises. You will face the might of millions and much more."
"I already know your secrets, Yalan. I should've realized the moment I heard of them that it was your doing. Who else would have been as twisted as you in releasing Morois upon cities?" wondered Elion, "but oh well, feel free to take your opportunity and shove it so far up your ass, a tree might grow up."
"You FOOL!" yelled Yalan, "You dare refuse me?"
"Yes."
"Do you wish to see your kids die?" Yalan continued, but sighed, making the anger leave his body, "Never mind, never mind. Your grandfather was a fool, your father was a fool, you are a fool, and surely your kids are fools too. So be it. May the Vita protect you on the battlefield."
"I swear to Vita above, that I will eat your heart!" yelled Elion as the three turned their mounts around and left.
Who is that man? Blanc asked himself about the conversation his father had as he and Celine witnessed it from the balcony.
As if reading his thoughts, Celine spoke, "If this fight was not doomed before, it is now."
"What do you mean?" Blanc asked, "Do you know who this Oren Yalan Ulveth the IV is?"
Celine shook her head at his question, "No, not personally. But my father does. And he mentioned a few times his powers. He is dangerous. So dangerous, in fact, from what I understand, that even if my father and Lady Seraph's armies were here right now, it might still be doomed."
"He indeed does look scary, but he is only a man. How can that be?" Blanc muttered, looking at him as he rode into the darkness and towards his army.
The man, in Blanc's eyes, was only a mere man. A big one. Not as strong in appearance as his dad was. But strong nonetheless. He knew that. There was no visible True Vita in his body. Like Blood Seraph had. They had their horns, but he, as his father, did not have any.
So either he was hiding it, or it was not a physical True Vita trait. But guessing would not answer his questions.
"The most cunning man that walked this continent. This world, even. That was the short and long description my father had for him," Celine replied, answering his thoughts once more.
"Well, shit…" Banc sighed.
Celine agreed with his sentiment, "Shit indeed."
But as they were watching the terror that awaited outside, a knock came at the door.
"I'm going to open it," Celine replied, heading for the door.
What awaited her, when opening the door, was a trembling Lune holding the hand of her, just as scared, brother, Kael, and a pillow in the other hand.
With a smile as a greeting from Celine, she waved them in.
"What's wrong, little ones?" asked Blanc, seeing them coming in.
"Can we sleep in your room tonight?" asked Lune, her voice trembling.
"Please…" muttered Kael, just as scared as Lune was. Perhaps even more so.
With a nod and a warm smile from Blanc, he replied, "Of course. Feel free to take the whole bed. We slept already."
"Thank you," replied Lune, heading with Kael towards the bed. "Blanc, are you not scared?"
"I am, little flower, I am. But everything will be alright." Blanc muttered, but the lie sat heavy in his mouth.
"Can you promise that?" Kael asked.
"No…" Blanc replied, letting go of the lie he tried to say earlier with a heavy sigh, "I cannot. Try to get some sleep."
Kael and Lune did not press the matter further. They did not wish to create more problems for Blanc than he already had. So, they agreed with his suggestion and went to sleep.
"My dear…" muttered Mera, taking the hand of her husband, who was now calming down in the main hall, "this is bad. Very bad."
"I know…" Elion sighed, "We will most likely be defeated."
"What shall we do, Father?" asked Valar, still as stoic as ever despite the situation they were now in.
"Prepare for the future in case the worst is to come. Auren, Mera, my loves, bring everyone," Elion ordered.
And with a nod from both, they left the main hall to gather the rest of the members of the Blood, leaving Elion and Valar sitting in silence in the dim light.