He turned toward the bed, where his sword lay gleaming faintly beneath the lamplight. He picked it up slowly, the metal humming softly in his grip. The reflection of his eyes shimmered across the blade's edge.
Malric… he thought. If I could see you again…
He looked out the window once more. The stars were beginning to bloom across the night sky.
"He's probably out there," Nolan murmured. "Still keeping the balance… slaying demons and monsters that cross over from their world to ours. It's not easy—holding that line alone."
His hand tightened around the hilt.
"Maybe I can't see him now. But someday—after everything I've planned… after creating my own kingdom—maybe I'll join him."
His reflection in the blade flickered, and for a moment he saw himself standing among blazing ruins, facing monstrous silhouettes with eyes of flame.
