The heroes all gathered at the central all as whispers flew everywhere. There was no one other than the heroes in the throne room. Even the throne was empty.
"Hey Ethan…" Ethan turned to see Gilbert looking at him with a somber expression. "Are you alright?"
Ethan curtly nodded, Gilbert was about to speak up, but didn't continue.
The doors burst open.
All heads snapped toward the entrance.
King Athior strode in.
But this… this wasn't the same man.
His robes were disheveled. His breath slightly uneven and gone was the calm, untouchable authority he carried before. Wielding a golden spear, he marched hurriedly to the throne.
"They sent her out of everyone!" his anger was barely restrained. "Who could have thought those filth would send her!" He ascended the steps of the throne in a few sharp strides and sat down heavily.
Only then did Ethan notice it.
The injuries.
Small cuts on his cheek. The torn and dirted fabric of his regal robe. Blood smudged at his chest.
They weren't severe but they were undeniable.
Someone had managed to wound the Elven King.
Ethan's stomach tightened.
'Who could do that?'
The king narrowed his eyes at all the noble elven children, "Tell me traitors! Which one of you works for the Heia Duchy!"
All the noble elves looked at each other, stiffening as they collectively shook their heads. Ethan learnt this from his 6 months here. The elven royal bloodline… it had the ability to control any of the elves except the ones that shared the same blood.
So if there were any traitors, they couldn't hide.
Athior's jaw tightened.
His hand rose to his temple—
And that's when Ethan noticed it.
A subtle tremor in his hand.
His fingers… were shaking.
'He's scared.'
Athior exhaled slowly, forcing control back into his voice. Then his gaze shifted toward the heroes. "This is your first act as heroes." he began, "Your companions L-Lucus Grever and H-Hannah Clinton are in fact not who you think they are. They are spies." Everyone exchanged whispers as Athior hit his spear to the ground, firmly silencing everyone.
Yet that didn't stop them from staring at Ethan. 'Whatever Samantha said is starting to make more sense…'
The king spoke,"Your objective is simple. Kill the retreating spies. Lucas was injured in the explosion, and Hannah was injured by me." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping. "But do not let your guard down for even a moment. Both of them are extremely strong."
Ethan didn't need convincing.
Lucas had survived that explosion.
Hannah had fought the king directly—and managed to injure him.
They weren't opponents you underestimated.
"Excuse me."
"Excuse me." Adrian raised his hand, his expression was still blank from earlier. The king looked at him. "Did they steal something? What exactly made them spies?"
The king narrowed his eyes on Adrian. "I never mentioned anything about stealing…" Adrian narrowed his eyes as well, "That was but a guess." Athior nodded slightly. "Well… yes. There is another objective." His voice lowered. "The spies have stolen the very realmcaller you arrived in."
The moment the words left his mouth—
Ethan moved.
A blur.
A sharp gust of wind swept across the hall as a small cloud of dust kicked up where he had been standing.
He was gone.
Gilbert inhaled sharply before shouting, "Everyone! Follow Ethan!"
The heroes surged forward with screams, rushing toward the exit.
Within moments, the hall emptied.
Athior remained seated on his throne, watching the heroes leave.
Slowly, he raised his hand.
It was still trembling.
His gaze drifted forward, dark and contemplative.
"Lucas Grever…" he murmured quietly.
"…Who are you?"
***
Ethan tore through the forest outside the castle, his footsteps barely touching the ground as he surged forward.
Behind him, chaos consumed the elven castle. Flames spread across the white stone, smoke rising into the sky as elves shouted orders and mages scrambled to contain the destruction.
Ethan didn't look back.
His eyes were fixed ahead.
They stole it. His grandfather's vase.
The only thing he had left of him.
Ethan's fist clenched as blood dripped.
They were going to pay.
Branches snapped and leaves scattered as he pushed deeper into the forest. A rush of movement behind him told him the others had finally caught up.
"Ethan! Hold it!" Gilbert shouted, matching his pace.
Reyna appeared on his other side, her hair blazing gold, flowing upward like a living flame.
Ethan glanced at it briefly.
Lion's Mane–Reyna's boon.
It amplified her senses and physical ability several times over—as long as she had enough divine energy to sustain it.
Trees came trampling down as a colossal chimpanzee lumbered forward, its sheer weight crushing roots and earth alike. Perched atop its shoulder was Samantha.
Her face was pale, eyes strained with focus.
Her boon, Polaroid Summoner, allowed her to manifest whatever was captured in an image. As long as her divine energy held, the summon obeyed her indefinitely.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. 'That's definitely King Kong.'
"Ethan!" Samantha shouted from above, her voice desperate. "Whatever you do—don't do anything reckless!"
Ethan didn't answer.
Adrian ran alongside him now, keeping perfect pace while his gaze lingered on Ethan. Ethan met his eyes for a brief second, before looking forward again.
Lucas carried her over his shoulder, her body limp, clearly injured. He glanced back, his expression tightening.
"…This is bad."
The ground trembled as trees were violently uprooted and thrown into their path, trunks colliding and forming a jagged barricade.Ethan didn't slow.
His vermilion eye gleamed faintly as he reached the obstruction. The moment he did, the trees were forced aside, as if something invisible had torn through them. Wood splintered and roots snapped as the path cleared instantly.
He crossed through.
Then, instinctively, he looked back.
No one was behind him.
Ethan stopped.
A few meters away, Adrian stood facing the others, sword drawn. The heroes had halted, confusion written across their faces.
"Adrian, what are you doing?!" Gilbert yelled. Adrian's expression was impassive as he looked straight in Gilbert's eye. "Only Ethan Blackwell is allowed to pass through here from now." He glanced back at Ethan, who hesitated between following the traitors or staying with his friends.
Then Reyna moved.
Her blade struck Adrian's with a sharp clash, sparks scattering across the dry leaves below.
"Move!" she shouted, pushing against him. "Let us pass!"
Behind her, the giant chimpanzee roared, its massive arm reaching forward to grab Adrian.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
In a single motion, he slashed.
The blade cut cleanly.
The enormous hand dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, shaking the forest floor.
"Adrian!" Samantha cried, her voice breaking.
The beast staggered, rage surging through it as it raised its foot, ready to crush him. Sparks from the earlier clash ignited the dry foliage, flames beginning to spread along the forest floor, casting flickering light across Adrian's face.
Still, he didn't move.
"If you don't let us through," Samantha shouted, "Ethan is going to die!"
Adrian's gaze remained steady.
"Lucas will kill Ethan," he said calmly, his grip on the sword tightening. "I must make sure it happens."