Drexo did not leave. Not once. The chamber became his world, and Maria, the center of it.
Morning would come, and he would still be there. Watching the light crawl across the walls. Listening to the faint sounds of the city waking beyond the windows. Waiting for her to stir.
When she did, it was never quiet. There was always that moment. That brief pause when their eyes met again, as if they were reminding themselves that the other was still real.
Still there. Still theirs. He didn't step outside. Didn't risk the corridors, the eyes, the whispers that could undo everything.
When food was needed, Maria went. Quick, and controlled. She would return with enough for two, closing the door behind her with care, her back resting against it for just a second before she crossed the room.
And he would already be waiting..Sometimes by the window..Sometimes on the bed. Always watching her.
Afternoons belonged to the warriors. Maria never failed that part. She stepped into her role with precision, her armor fitting her like a second skin, her voice steady as she issued commands.
But something had changed. It was subtle. Easy to miss. The training sessions were shorter.
Sharpened.
More intense, yet somehow rushed. "Again!" she would command, her voice echoing across the hills.
Steel clashed..Feet moved. Warriors pushed themselves harder under her gaze. But before the exhaustion could fully set in, before the drills could stretch into their usual length.
"Dismissed."
Too soon. Too abrupt. Some of the warriors exchanged glances. Confusion laced on their faces.
But none questioned her. None dared.
Helen watched more closely than the others. Her eyes lingered on Maria longer than necessary. She noticed the way the commander would leave immediately after.
No lingering..No correction of mistakes..No extra instructions. Just gone. Back toward her chambers. As if she was too eager to return to her room.
Helen said nothing. But the thought from before had not left her.
Maria returned each time with the same urgency she tried to hide. The door would shut.
The world outside would fade. And Drexo would be there.
Waiting.
The hours between them would collapse instantly. No words needed. No explanations. Just presence. Just closeness.
They held onto it like it was the only thing keeping everything else from falling apart.
Far away, the world was already shifting. At the borders of King's City, the wind carried a different kind of silence.
One that came before violence. The watchmen saw them first. A dark line on the horizon.
Growing, and expanding. Their eyes narrowed as the figures became clearer. Armor, and banners. Steel catching light. And at the front, a familiar, and respected figure.
"That must be Lord Edmond Woodland of Snowland," one of the watchmen muttered, his brows furrowing deeply. He leaned forward slightly, gripping the edge of the wall.
"Why is he approaching the city with so much army?" The unease settled quickly. He turned sharply to one of the guards beside him.."Go inform the crown prince immediately."
The guard didn't hesitate. He ran.
Fast.
His footsteps echoed down the stone paths as he disappeared into the depths of the city. The remaining watchmen stayed.
Watching, and waiting.
Edmond continued forward..His pace steady, and unhurried. The army behind him moved as one, their steps aligned, their presence heavy.
Then, the word echoed. "Halt!"
The command rang out from the walls. Sharp, and demanding.
Edmond raised a hand..His army stopped instantly.
Silence followed.
"What is your mission in this city?" the watchman called out. "Why are you moving with so many men?"
Edmond looked up. Calm, almost relaxed. Then he smiled. A small, controlled curve of his lips. "I have come to take the city."
The words had barely left his mouth, Before chaos broke. Arrows flew.
Fast, and relentless.
They struck the watchmen without warning. Bodies jerked. Cries cut short. Some fell instantly, others stumbled before collapsing over the walls.
The gates rattled under impact. Edmond didn't flinch. Didn't blink. He raised his sword. The Sword of Odin gleamed faintly as it caught the light.
"Take over the city." His voice carried. Cold, and final. The soldiers surged forward. Like a tide breaking loose. Some rushed the gates.
Others moved toward the walls, climbing with speed and precision, hooks biting into stone, hands gripping tightly as they pulled themselves upward.
The air filled with noise, steel, shouts, and mpact.
Within minutes, the outer defenses began to crumble. Within thirty, the gates opened.
Forced from within. Edmond moved. And his army poured into the city.
Inside the Warden's castle, the warning arrived too late. The doors burst open as a guard rushed in, breath uneven, panic barely contained.
"Your Grace, Lord Edmond Woodland of Snowland approaches with a vast army!"
Dereek's brows furrowed. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. "I know Edmond," he said, almost dismissively. "He is an honorable man. He is not one to ferment trouble."
His fingers tapped lightly against the arm of his throne. "He must have come in peace."
The guard hesitated. "My lord, a ruler does not travel with his entire army for peace."
The room shifted slightly. Tension creeping in. "Relax," Prince Domion said, leaning back slightly, a hint of confidence in his tone. "Who would dare attack Dragon City?"
He scoffed lightly. "Not even a million men can withstand one of our dragons." The words barely settled, when the bell rang.
Loud, sharp and unmistakable.
Everything froze. Every head turned. Every breath held. They all knew what it meant. Dereek stood instantly. The calm from before vanished. His fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"He came for war." Domion's expression darkened immediately. "How dare him," he growled. He turned without hesitation, already moving toward the exit.
Toward the dragon bay. Toward his dragon, Donca.
Dereek didn't stop him..Instead, he turned to his commander. "Assemble the army in front of the fortress," he ordered, his voice hard now. "Make sure the civilians are cleared into safe hideouts."
His eyes burned with something dangerous. "I will burn them all with dragon fire."
The bell was still echoing when Dereek turned sharply. His eyes found Theon. "Where is Drexo?" The question came out controlled, but there was something beneath it. Something tight. Something already unraveling.
Theon didn't step back, but his shoulders stiffened slightly. "He left the city," he said. "He had business in Hills Ford."
For a second, nothing moved. Then Dereek's jaw tightened. "You failed to inform me." The words were low, and measured.
But they carried weight. Theon opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Dereek took a step closer.
"You better pray he has not fallen into the hands of the enemy," he continued, his voice dropping further, "because I am going to blame you for it."
He didn't wait for a response. Didn't care for one. He turned and walked out.
Outside, the city was already shifting..Soldiers moved with urgency. Commands were shouted. Steel clanged as weapons were drawn and distributed.
Civilians were being pushed away from the main streets, guided, forced, rushed toward safer grounds. Some resisted. Most didn't. Fear did the work.
Dereek stepped forward, his presence cutting through the movement like a blade.
His army formed behind him. Disciplined, and ready.
There was no hesitation in him now. No trace of the earlier doubt. Only confidence. The kind that came from knowing what he had.
Or at least what he thought he still had. A dragon.
At the front of the fortress, the gates stood open. Beyond them, Edmond was waiting.
Still, and Cmcalm. As though he had all the time in the world. Dereek stepped forward until they stood within clear sight of each other.
"Edmond!" Dereek called out, his voice carrying across the space between them. "What is the meaning of this?"
A pause.
"Have you forgotten to whom this territory belongs?"
Edmond smiled. Not wide. Not warm. Just enough. "I very much know this is Dragarian territory," he replied. "And that is the only reason I am attacking it."
The words landed clean, and direct. Dereek's brows drew together.
"I know you to be an honorable man," he said. "They say you do not love trouble. That you do not break your oath."
His voice hardened. "What then are you doing now?"
Edmond exhaled slowly. For a moment, his gaze shifted. Not away, but deeper.
"I am here to uphold my oath," he said..A beat. "I swore for the safety of Astarous."
Silence followed. Then his voice changed. Lower, and heavier. "The blood of the innocent your father has murdered." he said, each word deliberate, "has risen to the heavens."
He stepped forward slightly. "The cries of women and children your father has taken…" his jaw tightened, "have reached the ears of the gods."
Another step. Closer now. He hit his chest once.
Firm.
"And I am here to execute judgment." The air shifted. Something real settled in. Something irreversible.
Dereek's anger flickered. Then, softened. Just slightly. Because he knew. He had always known. He looked at Edmond, his voice quieter now.
"I agree my father is unjust," he admitted. "But will you visit the sins of the father upon the son?"
For the first time, Edmond hesitated..Just a fraction. His gaze lowered briefly. "Of course you are not guilty of your father's sins," he said.
Then he looked up again. Steady. "But which son will sit and watch his father be punished?"
The answer lingered. Unspoken, and unavoidable. "Which is why I am here."
A small smile appeared on Dereek's face. But it didn't reach his eyes. "If your anger is with my father," he said, "why attack this city?"
He tilted his head slightly. "Why not the capital?"
A pause.
"My father does not live here.".Edmond stared at him for a second.
Then, he laughed. Not loudly. But enough. "Do you take me for a fool?" he said.
The smile didn't leave his face. "I know your father is not here." His tone shifted again.
Sharp.
"But do not trouble yourself."
A beat.
"Your father is being taken care of as we speak."
Something snapped. Dereek felt it.
Sharp, and sudden. His chest tightened..The image came uninvited. His father. Under attack. Unprotected.
The anger rose instantly. Hot, and Uncontrolled.
"You will all get roasted for this," he said, his voice dropping into something darker. Then he stepped forward. His chest lifted.
His voice changed. Ancient, and commanding.
"Deke Deke… Subreina!"
The words echoed. Carried, and waited.
Silence answered. Even Edmond trembled a little. But nothing came
Dereek frowned. Just slightly. His eyes lifted toward the sky.
Nothing.
"I usually do not summon my dragon twice," he muttered under his breath.
A flicker of confusion crossed his face. "What is going on?"
Then louder. "Deke Deke Subreina!" The call rang again. Stronger, and demanding.