The war room was silent with Stone wall and no windows,A single table dominated the space covered in maps.Seven continents spread across the surface.
Pins marked positions.
Red for enemies and gold for targets.
Four figures stood around it.
Elya at the head with his arms crossed.
Alexia to his right.
Dark hair pulled back in a severe ponytail.
Green uniform immaculate.
Lin to his left.
Red hair practically glowing in the dim light.
Arms crossed tight.Jaw clenched.
Ban against the far wall.
Golden hair loose with casual posture.
But tension in his shoulders.
The air was heavy.Then—
Lin spoke first.
"She's a human."
"In our sanctuary. In the one place we're supposed to be hide from them."
His fist hit the table.
Maps jumped.
"You brought the enemy into our home."
Alexia started to speak—
Lin cut her off.
"Don't. Don't tell me to trust the Captain's judgment. I do trust it. Which is why I'm asking: WHY?"
He turned to Elya.
"Give me one reason she should be here."
Elya didn't flinch. Then spoke.
"Princess Nana Ashveil. Heir to the Ashveil throne. Only daughter of King Ashveil."
He tapped the map.On Ashveil continent.
"When we take this continent's heir—he will have a choice."
His finger traced the borders.
"Recognize our claim. Or go to war."
He looked up.
"If we slaughter the royal family and seize power by force, every kingdom will unite against us. The Continental Compact becomes a crusade."
Pause.
"And the princess is our key..."
Understanding dawned on Alexia's face.
"They can't call it an invasion," she said quietly.
Elya nodded.
""When the princess disappears, the royal guards will scatter across the continent searching for her. The palace will be weaker than ever because most of the guards will be busy looking for thier princess. And it makes our job easier.
He placed his hand flat on Ashveil.
"Then we will wipe them all"
Lin held his gaze.
Then stepped back.
"Understood, Captain."
LOCATION
MIRA'S ROOM
Laughter echoed down the hallway.
Mira's room was an explosion of colors.
Paintings covered every wall.
Flowers ,Sunshine,Smiling faces.
Things she'd only imagined.
Nana sat cross-legged on the floor.
Paint-stained hands.
Smiling.
In front of her: a canvas.
Colors bleeding together.
But hers, it was a garden with blue sky.
Mira bounced beside her.
Adding yellow to a sun.
"—and then," she was saying, "the witch lifted her hands and the whole field bloomed! Just like that!"
She gestured wildly.
Nearly knocked over the paint water.
Nana caught it.
Laughing.
"Careful!"
"Sorry! I get excited when I tell stories!"
Mira added more petals to a flower.
"My mom used to do that. Make flowers grow. Even in winter."
Her voice softened and became wistful.
"She said magic was a gift. That we should use it to make people happy."
Nana's brush stilled.
"That's beautiful."
"Yeah." Mira smiled. "She was beautiful."
Then she paused
"Before the Purge."
BACK TO WAR ROOM
The air shifted.
Pressure started building like the air has doubled .
Ban straightened.
Alexia's went into a battle stance.
Lin turned.
Elya's eyes sharpened.
Space tore and a portal opened.
Silver-edged.
A figure stepped through.Tall with a Hood..
Face hidden behind a black mask.
Only blue eyes visible through the slits.
Green red uniform beneath the dark hoodie.
The portal sealed. He stood still for a while and then—
"Captain."
Voice muffled.
Gender impossible to determine.
Elya nodded once.
"Sho."
Lin stepped forward.
"Finally you are here."
Sho straightened.
"Darien's deployed the Inquisitors. Full battalion. Blackthorn Grove.
"He pulled a map from inside the hoodie.
Unfolded it on the table.
"Positions here—here—and here."
Fingers tapping three locations.
"Rangers holding the eastern perimeter. Crimson Guard at the western approach. Inquisitors in the center."
"A perfect trap."
Sho looked up at Elya.
"They think they have you cornered, Captain."
Elya studied the map.
Then smiled.
"Fascinating."
MIRA'S ROOM
"I always dream," Mira said suddenly.
Nana looked up.
Mira stared at her painting.
At the bright garden.
At the impossible colors.
"I want to find a way to stop the war. Between humans and witches."
She said it simply.
Like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Nana blinked.
"You... you want to stop it?"
"Of course!" Mira turned to her. "Don't you?"
"I—well—yes, but—"
"Then why doesn't everyone?"
Mira's eyes were wide.
Genuinely confused.
"If everyone wants the war to stop, why does it keep going?"
Nana opened her mouth then closed it.
She had no answer.
Mira went back to painting.
"I think people are just scared. Humans are scared of witches. Witches are scared of humans."
She added green to grass.
"But if someone's brave enough to try first... maybe others will follow."
She looked at Nana and smiled.
"I want to be that brave."
Nana stared at her.
This twelve-year-old girl.
Who'd lost everything.Who'd been trapped for years.
Who might never see the outside world.
And she still believed in peace.
Nana's throat tightened.
"The stories I was told," she whispered. "They said witches were monsters."
Mira tilted her head.
"Do I look like a monster?"
"No." Nana's voice cracked. "You look like... like a child who wants to make things better."
Mira grinned.
"Then the stories were wrong!"
She grabbed Nana's hand.
Paint smearing between their fingers.
"If I can hope... you can too!"
BACK TO WAR ROOM
Elya's hand moved across the map.
From Blackthorn Grove.
West to Ashveil.
His finger stopped on the palace.
On the capital.
He looked up.
Met each person's eyes.
"I'm going to Blackthorn Grove."
"To make Darien happy for a while."
His smile was dangerous.
Then his expression went COLD.
"Get ready."
His voice dropped.
"When I come back—"
He placed his palm flat on Ashveil.
"—we erase this continent from the surface of the earth."
Silence swallowed the room
Then—
Alexia's gave a cold smile.
Eyes gleaming.
Lin's jaw set clenching his fist
Ban cracked his knuckles.Then–
Sho simply nodded.
Elya straightened.
"Sho. Return to Nai. Monitor Darien's response. Report any changes immediately."
"Okay, Captain."
"Alexia, Lin, Ban. Prepare for war."
"Yes, Captain."
All three in perfect unison.
Elya looked at the map one final time.
At Ashveil.
"Twelve years," he said quietly.
"Twelve years of preparation."
He looked up.
"It ends now."
The hallways were dark.
But ahead—there was laughter.
Elya walked toward it.
Footsteps silent.
He stopped at an open door which was Mira's room.
Inside:Paint EVERYWHERE.
On their hands,their faces,the floor and walls.
Mira was giggling.
Holding up a painting of what might have been a cat Or a cloud but hard to tell.
Nana was smiling.
Elya watched for a moment and gave a smile.
He stepped into the doorway.
"Nana."
Both turned.
Mira's smile widened.
"Elya! Look what we made!"
She held up her paintings.
Elya's eyes softened.
Just slightly.
"They're good."
Mira beamed.
Then Elya's gaze shifted to Nana.
"We're leaving."
The warmth in the room dimmed.
Nana blinked.
"Leaving? Now? Where—"
"Blackthorn Grove."
Mira's smile faded.
"Already?"
Elya nodded.
Mira looked at Nana.
Then back at Elya.
"But we were having fun..."
"I know."
His voice was softer.
Just for her.
"But it's time."
Mira's shoulders slumped.
But she nodded.
Understanding.Nana stood slowly.
Looking at the paintings.
"I—"
She didn't know what to say.
Mira jumped up.
Threw her arms around Nana.Tight.
"Come back , okay?"
Her voice was muffled against Nana's shoulder.
Nana's arms came up.
Hesitant then squeezed back.
"I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
They held each other for a long moment.
Then Mira pulled back.
Eyes shining.But smiling.
"Good. Because we have more painting to do!"
Nana smiled watery but genuine.
"Yeah. We do."
Elya turned.
Started walking.
"Now."
Nana looked at Mira one last time.
Then followed.Into the dark hallway.
The main hall was silent.
Three figures stood by the war table.
Alexia,Lin and Ban.
Elya entered.Nana behind him.
They all turned watching them go.
Nana felt their stares.
Elya walked to the center of the hall.
Raised his hand.
Symbols appeared.
The air hummed then and a portal appeared.
Elya looked at his team.
"Three hours."
Alexia straightened.
"And then?"
"Then wipe them all."
Lin stepped forward.
"Captain."
Elya turned.
Lin's voice was quiet.
"Show no mercy."
Ban's voice joined.
"Show no mercy."
Alexia's.
"Show no mercy."
Elya's smile was cold.
"Never do."
He turned to the portal.
Looked at Nana.
"Let's go."