Drake woke with a roar of pain.
He tried to move.
He couldn't.
Chains. Chains everywhere.
Arms. Legs. Torso. Neck.
They glowed with a faint, golden light.
Magical chains.
He tried to force them.
Activated his partial transformation.
Scales began to form...
ZAP!
Electricity coursed through the chains.
Drake screamed.
The transformation dissolved.
"Don't try it," said a cold voice.
Drake looked up.
Naporia stood before the cell.
Sword on her shoulder. Dangerous smile.
"Those chains are designed to contain beasts. The more you resist, the more they hurt."
Drake spat blood.
"You killed my men."
Naporia shrugged.
"They were enemies. That's war."
She walked closer.
"And now you're a prisoner. Which means I can do whatever I want with you."
She slowly drew her sword.
"Let me show you how much you can bleed before you die."
The cell door opened.
Kaito entered.
"No."
Naporia stopped.
"Mon général..."
Kaito looked at her firmly.
"We are not Avernor. We do not torture prisoners."
Naporia gripped her sword hilt.
"He's an enemy hero. He killed twenty of our own."
"And now he's disarmed. Chained. Helpless."
Kaito approached Naporia.
"If you torture him, how are we any different from them?"
Naporia stared at him for several seconds.
Then she sheathed her sword with a sharp movement.
"As you command."
She left the cell.
But before leaving, she looked at Drake.
"You're lucky he's your captor. Not me."
And she disappeared.
Drake looked at Kaito.
"Why?"
Kaito sat in a chair facing the cell.
"Because I still believe people can change."
---
Two Hours Later
The door opened again.
Lilith entered.
She carried a tray.
Bread. Water. Fruit.
Drake frowned.
"What is this?"
Lilith smiled.
"Food. I imagine you're hungry."
She left the tray inside the cell.
Out of Drake's reach.
"Of course... you can't reach it like that."
She snapped her fingers.
The chains on his arms loosened.
Enough for Drake to move.
But not escape.
Drake looked at the food suspiciously.
"Poison?"
Lilith laughed.
"If I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead."
She sat in a chair.
"Eat. Or don't eat. Your choice."
Drake hesitated.
But hunger won.
He ate cautiously.
The bread was fresh. The water clean.
Lilith watched him.
"Better?"
Drake didn't respond.
Lilith continued.
"You must wonder why we're keeping you alive."
Drake chewed.
"Ransom. Prisoner exchange."
Lilith shook her head.
"Partially correct. But there's more."
She leaned forward.
"We want you to join us."
Drake spat out his water.
"What?"
Lilith smiled.
"You've seen how we treat our soldiers. How Kaito risks himself for them."
She paused.
"Now compare that to Avernor. Did Eldric risk himself for you in battle?"
Drake clenched his fists.
"Eldric was separated by—"
"Eldric could have come back," Lilith interrupted. "But he didn't. He abandoned you."
Her eyes glowed gold.
"Like a broken tool."
Drake shook his head.
"No. Eldric would come back for me. We're comrades."
Lilith began to whisper.
Very softly.
A name.
Drake's name.
Repeated. Over and over.
Drake blinked.
"What... are you...?"
His mind clouded.
"Why... am I here?"
Lilith smiled.
"You're here because Avernor captured you."
Drake frowned.
"No... that's not..."
"They used you as a weapon. Promised you glory. But when you failed..."
Lilith moved closer.
"They discarded you."
The fog in Drake's mind thickened.
Confusion. Doubt.
"I... no..."
Lilith stopped whispering.
Clarity slowly returned.
Drake gasped.
"What did you do to me?"
Lilith leaned back.
"I only showed you how easy it is to forget. Forget why you fight. Who you fight for."
She stood up.
"Think about it, Drake. Is it really worth dying for Avernor?"
And she left.
Drake remained alone.
With growing doubts.
---
Meeting Room
Kaito summoned the three queens.
Lilith reported first.
"Drake is... flexible. Mentally."
Kaito nodded.
"Did he reveal anything?"
Lilith smiled.
"Oh, yes."
She pulled out notes.
"Avernor doesn't just want to destroy Neudämmerung."
Everyone tensed.
"They want to capture the villains. Alive."
Adelheid stood up.
"Capture us?"
Lilith nodded.
"Study them. Copy their powers. Create 'dark heroes' under the kingdom's control."
Naporia laughed humorlessly.
"So we're experiments."
Lilith continued.
"According to Drake, Avernor has been researching ancient summonings. Trying to replicate the process."
She looked at Kaito.
"Your ability... isn't unique. You're just the first to succeed."
Kaito felt something cold in his stomach.
"You mean there are others trying to summon villains?"
Lilith nodded.
"And if they capture one of us... they can accelerate their research."
Adelheid slammed the table.
"They'd use us as guinea pigs!"
Naporia half-drew her sword.
"Let them try. I'll die before I let myself be captured."
Kaito raised his hand.
"No one is going to die. And no one will be captured."
He looked at the three.
"We'll find another way."
Adelheid sat down, but her expression was tense.
Lilith watched with an unreadable expression.
Naporia sheathed her sword... but her hand didn't leave the hilt.
---
Cells — Night
Kaito visited Drake personally.
Alone.
No guards.
Drake looked at him.
"Come to kill me?"
Kaito shook his head.
He sat facing the cell.
"I came to offer you something."
Drake raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Kaito looked directly at him.
"Join us."
Drake laughed.
A bitter, humorless laugh.
"Why the hell would I do that?"
Kaito leaned forward.
"Because Avernor sees you as a tool. I see you as a person."
Drake frowned.
"Pretty words. But hollow."
Kaito shook his head.
"How many times did Avernor ask you how you felt? If you wanted to fight?"
He paused.
"Did you ever have a choice?"
Drake was silent.
Kaito continued.
"Here, everyone has a choice. Even you."
He stood up.
"Think about it. You have time."
He started to leave.
Drake spoke.
"And if I say no?"
Kaito stopped.
"Then I'll release you. With supplies. No hard feelings."
Drake blinked.
"What?"
Kaito turned.
"Forcing loyalty doesn't create allies. It creates resentment."
He smiled faintly.
"And I need allies. Not slaves."
And he left.
Drake remained alone.
Staring at the closed door.
Is he crazy?
Or genuine?
Doubts grew.
---
Avernor's Camp
Eldric was furious.
He paced back and forth.
Marcus sat, bandaging his own wounds.
Selene in a corner, silent.
"We lost Drake!" Eldric roared. "And seventy soldiers!"
Marcus spoke calmly.
"We could negotiate. Prisoner exchange."
Eldric looked at him.
"Negotiate? With that failure?"
Marcus nodded.
"He's pragmatic. We don't have prisoners to exchange. But we can pretend good faith."
Eldric stopped.
"Pretend?"
Marcus smiled faintly.
"We agree to a meeting. Promise a temporary truce."
He stood up.
"And when Kaito comes to negotiate... we capture him."
Eldric smiled slowly.
"I like how you think."
---
Kaito's Room
Kaito couldn't sleep.
He sat before the cards.
He took them out.
Three glowed intensely.
More than ever.
As if they knew he needed them.
The names were visible:
"Morgana: The Twilight Sorceress"
"Valeria: The Iron Butcher"
"Seraphina: The Fallen Saint"
His hand brushed one.
Should I?
Summon one more?
Just to secure victory...
The door opened.
Aria entered.
Still pale. Arm bandaged.
But awake.
"Don't do it."
Kaito looked at her.
"How...?"
Aria approached.
"I know you. I know when you're considering something stupid."
She sat beside him.
"You already have enough power. Three queens. Loyal soldiers."
She touched the cards.
"And if it's not enough?" Kaito asked.
Aria looked at him.
"Then you die as a hero. Not as a monster."
Kaito closed his eyes.
"And if my death means everyone else dies too?"
Aria squeezed his hand.
"Then we fight. All together. To the end."
She paused.
"But don't sell your soul for power. Because when it's over... there'll be nothing left of you."
Kaito opened his eyes.
He looked at the cards.
Then at Aria.
He put the cards away.
"You're right."
Aria smiled.
"Of course I'm right."
She stood up.
"Now rest. Tomorrow you'll need to be clear-headed."
She left.
Kaito remained alone.
The cards put away.
For now.
---
War Council
Everyone gathered.
Three queens. Aria. Gorman. Captains.
Kaito presiding.
"We need to decide our next move."
Adelheid spoke first.
Arm still in a sling, but eyes burning.
"We attack first. This time we surprise them."
Naporia nodded.
"Night raid. We enter their camp. Kill Eldric while he sleeps."
Lilith shook her head.
"Too risky. I propose negotiation."
Everyone looked at her.
"We exchange Drake for a temporary truce. Buy time to recover."
Adelheid frowned.
"And if they refuse?"
Lilith smiled.
"Then at least we know they're unreasonable. And we attack with a clean conscience."
Kaito considered.
"And if they accept... but it's a trap?"
Lilith shrugged.
"Then we surprise them too."
Kaito slowly nodded.
"A combination then."
He looked at everyone.
"We offer to negotiate. Exchange Drake for a truce."
"But we prepare an attack simultaneously. In case it's a trap."
Adelheid nodded.
"I can organize backup forces."
Naporia smiled.
"And I can infiltrate nearby. In case you need a quick rescue."
Kaito nodded.
"Then it's decided."
He looked at Gorman.
"Send a messenger. White flag. Proposal for a meeting."
Gorman nodded.
"Immediately, Commander."
---
Avernor's Camp — Hours Later
The messenger arrived.
With a white flag.
Escorted to Eldric.
Delivered the message.
Eldric read it.
He smiled.
"Perfect."
He looked at Marcus.
"Accept the meeting. Neutral ground. Tomorrow at noon."
Marcus nodded.
"And the trap?"
Eldric leaned over a map.
"We'll bring hidden troops. Here. And here."
He pointed at positions.
"When Kaito arrives to negotiate..."
His eyes gleamed with malice.
"We surround him. Capture him alive."
Marcus frowned.
"And if he brings the villains?"
Eldric smiled wider.
"Even better. We capture them all."
He turned to the messenger.
"Tell your commander we accept. Tomorrow. Noon. The neutral valley between camps."
The messenger nodded and withdrew.
When he was gone, Marcus spoke.
"Do you trust this will work?"
Eldric laughed.
"It doesn't matter if I trust it. What matters is that Kaito is predictable."
He struck the map.
"He always tries the noble path. The fair path."
His eyes darkened.
"And that will be his undoing."
---
Aschenfall Fortress — That Night
Kaito received the response.
Avernor accepted.
Tomorrow. Noon. Neutral valley.
He gathered his inner circle.
"They accepted too quickly," Lilith observed.
Naporia nodded.
"It's a trap. Obvious."
Adelheid studied the map.
"The neutral valley has three possible ambush points."
She pointed.
"Here. Here. And here."
Kaito nodded.
"Then we assume trap. And prepare our own counter-trap."
He looked at each one.
"Adelheid. Backup forces in the eastern hills."
"Naporia. Infiltration on the western flank."
"Lilith. Prepare escape fog in case we need to retreat quickly."
The three nodded.
Kaito breathed deeply.
"Tomorrow... we'll see who catches whom."