The day had come.
The wedding of Dichondra, a union meant to symbolize peace and unity between lands, stood on the edge of becoming a tragedy. Beneath the fragile illusion of celebration, something far darker moved unseen.
As Prince Keane, Zagan had a role to play.
A mask to wear.
A city to deceive.
A future to reshape.
Helmond's death lingered in his mind—not as grief, but as irritation. It was an unexpected variable, a disruption in a plan he had meticulously prepared for years. Yet even so, it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Zagan adjusted his composure, stepping forward with calm elegance as if nothing had gone wrong.
The game was far from over.
And his ambitions… were only beginning.
Thirty minutes later…
The first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, casting a pale golden glow across the land. Morning had arrived—but it brought no peace.
Far from the city, across the remnants of a shattered battlefield, Zagan moved.
Silent.
Patient.
Unstoppable.
His shadow stretched across the ground like a creeping omen, inching closer toward the City of Dichondra. Each step he took carried the weight of destruction yet to come.
Behind him, the battlefield lay in ruin.
The air was heavy with smoke and dust, the scent of destruction lingering like a memory that refused to fade. The once-lively escort of Prince Keane's carriage had been reduced to stillness—guards scattered across the ground, their bodies broken, their duty ended in silence.
There were no sounds of battle anymore.
Only the quiet aftermath of loss.
"A… anyone… please…!"
Alice's voice trembled as it broke through the silence, desperate and fragile. Her cries echoed into nothingness, swallowed by the emptiness of the battlefield.
No one answered.
Her eyes scanned the devastation, searching—hoping—for something, anything, that could still be saved.
Then she saw them.
Leo lay on the ground, barely conscious, his body battered from the fight. Not far from him… Helmond.
Still.
Unmoving.
Gone.
Alice's breath caught in her throat as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Her legs weakened beneath her, the weight of reality crashing over her like a wave she couldn't escape.
"It… it can't be…" she whispered, her voice breaking.
She turned, her vision blurred by tears, and rushed toward Rein.
Rein stirred faintly, her consciousness slowly returning from the brink. Her body felt heavy, her mind clouded—but then she felt it.
Power.
A warm, surging energy flowing from the staff's gem, coursing through her veins like a second heartbeat. It pulsed with life, with magic, with purpose.
Her eyes widened slightly as strength returned to her.
Alice knelt beside her, her voice shaking as she explained everything—the battle, Helmond's sacrifice, the horror of what had just unfolded.
Rein listened in silence.
And then she understood.
Without hesitation, Rein lifted her staff, her expression hardening with determination. Magic gathered at its tip, glowing brighter as she focused.
A soft light spread across the battlefield.
Leo's broken body was enveloped in that glow, his wounds slowly mending, his breathing stabilizing as the magic worked its way through him. The damage that once threatened his life began to fade, piece by piece.
Alice, meanwhile, gently cradled Helmond's body in her arms, unable to stop the tears that fell.
No magic reached him.
No light responded.
Only silence.
Leo's eyes flickered open.
The first thing he saw… was Helmond.
And everything shattered.
A deep, suffocating pain gripped his chest as realization struck. His breath grew uneven, his hands trembling as he struggled to sit up.
"No… no… Helmond…" he whispered, his voice filled with guilt and disbelief.
Rein moved quickly, placing her hands on his shoulders, grounding him. She didn't need words—they shared the same grief, the same loss.
For a brief moment, the world stopped.
And they cried.
Not as warriors.
Not as heroes.
But as friends who had just lost someone irreplaceable.
But time didn't stop.
And neither did Zagan.
The reality of their situation came crashing back.
"He's heading to Dichondra…" Alice said, her voice steadier now, though still heavy with emotion. "We don't have time."
Leo clenched his fists.
Grief turned into resolve.
Rein raised her staff once more, channeling the magic within it. The air shifted as energy gathered, swirling into form above the battlefield.
A massive cloud materialized—dense, radiant, and steady. It hovered just above the ground, glowing faintly with magical energy.
One by one, Rein healed the remaining members of the team, restoring their strength as best as she could.
All except one.
Helmond.
His sacrifice… was final.
With heavy hearts, they climbed onto the cloud.
No one spoke.
No one needed to.
Their destination was clear.
Dichondra awaited.
And so did the shadow that threatened to consume it.
At the gates of the city, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Where the battlefield held silence and sorrow, Dichondra thrived with anticipation and joy.
The gates stood tall, adorned with banners of celebration. Citizens gathered in large numbers, their faces filled with excitement as they awaited the arrival of the groom.
Then, he appeared.
Prince Keane.
Dressed in the elegant traditional attire of Nimblewill, he walked with grace and confidence. Every movement was calculated, every gesture refined.
He looked perfect.
Flawless.
Worthy of admiration.
But beneath that perfection…
Zagan watched.
Behind him, a grand display followed.
Guards marched in flawless formation. Lavish gifts shimmered under the morning sun, their beauty dazzling to the eye.
Everything looked real.
Everything felt real.
But it wasn't.
It was all crafted from dark magic—illusions so precise they blurred the line between reality and deception. A perfect performance, sustained only by Zagan's power.
And the people of Dichondra…
Believed it.
Cheers erupted.
Applause echoed through the streets as the citizens welcomed Prince Keane with warmth and admiration. Smiles spread across every face, their hearts filled with joy as they witnessed what they believed to be a moment of unity and prosperity.
To them, this was a celebration.
A new beginning.
A perfect union between lands.
But hidden beneath the celebration…
Was a lie.
Every smile, every cheer, every moment of happiness had been carefully manipulated. A fragile illusion, crafted to perfection.
And soon…
It would break.
High above the land, far from the city's awareness, a glowing cloud cut through the sky.
Leo and his team moved forward in silence, their eyes locked on the distant walls of Dichondra.
They carried grief.
They carried anger.
They carried resolve.
And they were coming.
The city below celebrated.
The hero above approached.
And at the center of it all…
Zagan waited.
The calm before the storm had begun.