The morning sun rose gently over the Royal Capital.
Yet unlike every other morning...
The city was already alive.
Trumpets echoed from the palace walls.
Royal banners fluttered proudly above every district.
One announcement had spread across the entire kingdom overnight.
The Lunar Trials had officially returned.
The excitement was unlike anything seen in generations.
Young warriors filled training grounds.
Veteran instructors barked orders.
Blacksmiths worked day and night repairing armor and forging weapons.
Merchants decorated their stalls with silver banners bearing the symbol of the Moon.
Even children could be heard pretending to be famous warriors from the Four Orders.
Everywhere...
There was only one topic of conversation.
"The Lunar Trials."
Within House Nocturne...
The estate's massive training grounds were already occupied.
BOOM!
Riven slammed into the dirt.
He groaned.
"...Again?"
Standing over him with folded arms...
Eryx looked completely unimpressed.
"You've become stronger."
"But you've become comfortable."
Riven rubbed the back of his head.
"I've only been back for a few days."
"Exactly."
Eryx pointed toward the arena.
"The enemy won't wait until you've rested."
"Stand."
Riven sighed before climbing back to his feet.
Nearby...
Zoldick Velmora watched while leaning against a wooden post.
Ever since their duel...
The two had become inseparable.
Whenever one trained...
The other somehow appeared.
Zoldick chuckled.
"You know..."
"I'm beginning to think Lord Eryx enjoys beating you."
Eryx looked toward him.
"I heard that."
"...I meant motivating."
Zoldick corrected immediately.
Several Nocturne warriors burst into laughter.
Even Riven smiled.
"Again."
Eryx disappeared.
Riven barely raised his guard.
THUD!
A fist slammed into his stomach.
Air escaped his lungs.
Before he could recover
Another strike landed against his shoulder.
Then his ribs.
Then his jaw.
Within seconds...
He was lying on the ground once more.
Eryx didn't even appear winded.
"You keep reacting."
"You need to start predicting."
Riven slowly stood.
His entire body ached.
"...You're impossible."
"No."
Eryx replied.
"I'm experienced."
Elsewhere...
Nyss trained beneath a quiet grove inside the estate.
Unlike Riven...
Her training required no fists.
No weapons.
No shouting.
She sat cross-legged beneath an ancient tree.
Moonlight lingered around her despite the daylight.
Silver particles floated gently through the air.
Around her...
Small stones slowly lifted from the ground.
Leaves circled peacefully.
Streams of pale lunar energy flowed from her core.
Watching nearby...
Diana gently rocked baby Fenrick to sleep.
"He really misses you."
Nyss opened one eye.
"Who?"
"Riven."
Nyss blushed.
"We literally had breakfast together."
Diana laughed softly.
"I know."
"But he's looking over here every few minutes."
Nyss glanced toward the training grounds.
Sure enough...
Riven had just been punched into the dirt again.
She covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
"...Poor Riven."
Meanwhile...
Within House Duskryn.
Lady Seraphine stood before an enormous map covering the wall.
Pins marked dozens of villages.
Several were circled in black.
Every single one...
Had disappeared.
A scout entered hurriedly.
"My Lady."
"Another report."
Seraphine accepted the parchment.
Her expression darkened.
"...Another village?"
"Yes."
"No survivors."
"No bodies."
The scout hesitated.
"There was..."
"...one witness."
Seraphine looked up.
"What did he see?"
The scout swallowed.
"He said..."
"...he heard voices."
"What voices?"
"They sounded..."
"...hungry."
Silence filled the room.
Far away...
Within the Fourth Order...
The royal palace buzzed with activity.
Young warriors trained endlessly.
Servants hurried through marble halls.
Preparations for the Lunar Trials had already begun.
Queen Selene watched from her balcony.
Beside her stood Lord Caelum.
"The Third will certainly send Riven."
Selene nodded.
"They will."
"And Nyss?"
For the first time...
A faint smile appeared on Selene's face.
"She'll come."
Caelum noticed something unusual.
"You sound certain."
Selene looked toward the Moon.
"I've waited years..."
"...for this moment."
Thousands of kilometers away...
Inside the First Order...
A colossal warrior lay sleeping atop a massive cliff overlooking endless mountains.
His breathing alone shook the rocks beneath him.
This was Drak Drakhar.
Head of House Drakhar.
One of the two noble houses of the First Order.
A messenger approached carefully.
"My Lord."
Drak opened one eye.
"What."
"The Alpha has issued an order."
"What order?"
"Every eligible young warrior shall participate in the Lunar Trials."
Drak slowly stood.
The mountain beneath his feet trembled.
"...Then the children finally get to play."
Elsewhere...
A lone young warrior sharpened a massive battle axe.
His long silver hair danced in the cold wind.
He smiled after hearing the same news.
"So..."
"...warriors from every Order."
"Sounds fun."
His name was Ragnar Vargan.
Heir to House Vargan.
The strongest young warrior of the First Order.
As the days passed...
Preparations continued across every kingdom.
No one realized...
That beneath the ancient Lunar Sanctuary...
Something had begun to awaken.
Deep below layers of forgotten stone...
Behind countless ancient seals...
A single crimson eye...
Slowly opened.
Not fully.
Only...
Just enough to watch.
A deep voice echoed through the darkness.
"So..."
"...the Moon seeks another child."
Silence followed.
Then...
A low laugh reverberated through the abyss.
"Come then..."
"Show me..."
"...whether this generation is worthy."
Far above...
Unaware of the ancient gaze watching them...
The young wolves of the Four Orders continued preparing for the greatest trial of their lives.
The Moon had called.
And destiny had begun to move.