ã€ŠThe Naem of Raineã€‹


 Prologue

    ¡°¡­ Now, go. Protect he who will rattle the hearts of men and beasts alike¡ªhe who announces his presence to the world with a pillar of light. For I have blessed you to become a great warrior¡­¡±

    <hr>

    Ash fell from the sky, blanketing the ground like snow and covering a land that once teemed with life. Now, only death remained.

    Baron walked down the street, his piercing red eyes drawn upward to a sky shrouded in thick black smoke. Today was just like the day before¡ªand the day before that¡ªmarked by relentless ashfall from a perpetually darkened sky.

    Despite the constant annoyance of the ash, Baron would be lying if he said he wished it weren''t there. Without the ash, there¡¯d be no smoke, and that meant the sun would shine all day. And if the sun came out, he¡ªand no other demon in this great city¡ªcould continue on with their lives.

    While the sun didn''t kill demons outright, it burned them as if they were set on fire. Baron had felt that searing heat a few times in his life, and each time he vowed it would never happen again.

    With a sigh, he continued toward the massive black castle that loomed against the mountain at the back of the city. Today was supposed to be a great day¡ªfilled with the scent of looming war and blood, something he craved.

    But as soon as he stepped through the kingdom¡¯s walls, screams of horror and cries of pain echoed through the streets. That ruined his mood, even though, in most cases, he actually loved those sounds¡ªthey were exhilarating to him. Though, whenever he heard the cries of newly captured slaves¡ªthose he couldn''t kill as he wished¡ªit enraged him.

    He glanced to his left and saw several wagons being emptied into a small courtyard, isolated from the street by a large iron gate. Humans were being forced out, each linked by a long line of iron chains. Many screamed and pleaded for mercy, while others moved like living corpses, devoid of life.

    As he advanced, he continued to watch. The slave traders held back their massive demon hounds¡ªmassive compared to the humans¡ªeach barking and snarling as they struggled against the chains that restrained them. They zeroed in on the most terrified person passing by.

    It wasn¡¯t long before one of the humans attempted to resist and run, despite being chained to the others. It was natural for some to try, and Baron knew that. But he also knew that fear was what killed most people.

    ¡°I said stay in line!¡± one of the demon slave traders growled, kicking the human woman half his size forcefully back toward where she¡¯d come from. The blow sent her tumbling past the line of her fellow slaves and straight into the snapping jaws of the hounds that had frightened her.

    Her scream rang out, sharp and panicked, before being swallowed by the frenzy of growls and thrashing. The hounds lunged, dragging her down in a chaotic tangle of bodies. The other slaves shuffled away from the hounds as far as they dared as the struggle ended too quickly, leaving behind only the sounds of gnashing teeth and the coppery scent that thickened the air.

    What little remained of the woman twitched for a few seconds before her lifeless eyes glazed over. The screams of the rest of the slaves were all that could be heard now as they witnessed the horrendous act, forced to keep moving even as strands of the woman¡¯s torn flesh still dangled from the chains between them.

    ¡°Lucky,¡± Baron muttered to himself, shaking his head at the scene. ¡°The hounds get to have all the fun this early, and what of me¡­?¡±

    He looked up at his destination and frowned. Walking''s too slow...

    Baron leaned forward, channeling energy into his legs. He pushed off powerfully with the first, then the second, then the third¡ªthree strides later, he was sprinting at full speed down the street.

    He was nothing more than a blur to the other demons who he dashed past, his only signals a cape billowing behind him like tearing canvas and the steady thud of his boots hitting the ground, silently demanding everyone to get out of his way.

    He ran until he was about halfway to the castle, then launched himself with a powerful thrust of his legs that sent him careening into the dark sky. His aim was perfect¡ªhe reached the peak of his leap before beginning his descent, landing squarely in the center of the expansive terrace overlooking the kingdom below.

    Baron straightened up and looked back over the kingdom. The ashfall draped the horizon in a shroud of gray, though it barely obscured the city within the walls.

    Turning toward the doors leading out to the balcony, he pushed them open and entered a large room dimly lit by enormous urns of fire lining its perimeter. The demon guards stationed just inside the doors stumbled aside in surprise, readying themselves to attack¡ªbut they quickly composed themselves once they recognized Baron.

    Paying them no mind, he strode further into the room, leaving the doors open behind him.

    ¡°Baron!¡± a demon barked as he rose from his chair at the long table in the center of the room. ¡°How many times have you been told to enter this place the proper way?¡±

    Baron rolled his eyes as he walked over and took his seat along the right side of the table, a few chairs down from his accuser.

    ¡°Why waste my time walking when I can get in that way much faster?¡± he retorted, glancing past the assembled demons toward the far end of the table. ¡°Would you not agree, my lord?¡±

    Baron then watched the demon seated at the head of the table¡ªunchanging, obviously bored as he leaned to one side, resting his head on a closed fist.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re one of us now,¡± another demon, seated directly across from Baron¡ªfive seats on his side and five on Baron¡¯s¡ªwith the king of demons presiding at the head, said. ¡°There¡¯s still a hierarchy you must follow. You can¡¯t just waltz in, sit at this table, and speak so casually to the king.¡±

    Baron sighed dramatically as he leaned back into his chair, assuming a posture reminiscent of the Demon King, which cast a hush over the room. The first demon general, who had argued with him, promptly sat down as well, waiting for their king¡¯s words.

    None of the ten demons around the table dared question why they had been summoned¡ªexcept the one seated directly to the Demon King¡¯s right. From the corner of his eye, Baron watched as the highest-ranking demon slowly bowed his head, exposing the tops of his horns in a gesture of respect to the king.

    ¡°What news do you bring us, my King?¡± the demon asked, his voice slow and humble yet deep enough to send chills down Baron¡¯s spine¡ªalmost as chilling as the King¡¯s own tone.

    Even compared to Baron¡¯s strength, the five highest-ranking generals clearly possessed power that overshadowed him, each one immensely more powerful than the last. Yet showing humility or weakness was completely against everything in Baron. He sat in silence like everyone else, watching as the Demon King straightened on his throne and surveyed them all.

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    ¡°The humans and their cities are growing into a power I can no longer ignore,¡± the Demon King began, his voice so deep that Baron could feel it in his chest. ¡°The time for sitting idly by is over.¡±

    A sinister smile spread across Baron¡¯s face¡ªand he wasn¡¯t alone. Every demon present craved those words, and for a long time, they had waited for them.

    Baron froze as he watched the King rise from his throne, crossing his arms behind him. His immense presence loomed over the ten generals as he looked down on them. His rack of spiral horns, attached to the sides of his skull like those of all demons, soared high¡ªa testament to the power he wielded, despite his physical body showing no sign of age.

    ¡°Our raids on these petty cities are over,¡± the Demon King continued.

    Rezo, one of the demons seated in the middle of the table opposite Baron, slid from his chair and knelt humbly before the King. ¡°My lord, are you suggesting that we attack the great human cities?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± the Demon King replied, drawing surprised stares from most of the higher-ranking generals around the table.

    The kneeling general bowed even lower. ¡°My Lord, forgive my rudeness, but we have tried attacking those cities many times with no success. What makes you so sure that this time will be different?¡±

    The Demon King said nothing for a long moment as he stood, surveying the generals. Then he turned to his right and walked to the opposite side of the room, toward two large doors mirroring those at the other end.

    ¡°What makes this time different is that our God has given us gifts...¡± he explained, stopping halfway between the table and the doors. He signaled to the two demon guards stationed at the base of the doors, who then drew them open.

    The doors heaved open with a heavy groan, revealing a room cursed with darkness. Beyond, nothing could be seen except the light from the fires in the main room, though sound carried clearly through the threshold. Shortly after the doors groaned to a halt, screams erupted from the room¡ªscreams that sounded like humans pleading for their lives, begging for help as they passed from one person to another: first male, then female.

    These sounds spurred Baron to stand in excitement and anticipation, but his attention was quickly diverted. He glanced to his left at the clatter of iron hitting the floor and saw a human slave woman collapse beside a platter of food. Her mouth hung agape, her eyes wide with tears, yet she made no sound¡ªonly stared blankly toward the door.

    Baron observed the same thing happen to another slave behind her. He focused on the manservant in particular because, unlike the woman, he began crawling toward the door.

    Baron watched as the human man quickly sprang to his feet and ran toward the other room.

    ¡°No! No, God! Please, no!¡± the man screamed.

    Baron saw him dash past the woman, seemingly snapping her out of her trance. She too quickly gathered herself and ran toward the source of the screams from the other room.

    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Baron mused, curiosity plaguing his mind as the human servants ran right past the Demon King as if he weren¡¯t even there. Very interesting¡­

    Baron continued to watch, his focus as intense on the room as on the fleeing humans.

    The manservant crossed the threshold separating the large room from the chamber of darkness. The moment he stepped over, an ear-splitting crunch echoed through the chamber as a giant pair of elongated jaws dropped from above, clamping shut around him. What remained of his lower legs collapsed to the ground like thrown bricks, hitting the floor with a wet slap as the rest of him vanished into the beast¡¯s maw.

    His muffled screams quickly turned into wet gurgles as the jaws clenched tighter, crushing his ribs like brittle twigs¡ªleaving the woman to witness the horrifying fate of her companion.

    She stumbled backward as a scream ripped from her throat. Tears blurred her vision as she scrambled away from the door, but her panic made her movements clumsy. She tripped, slamming into the stone floor.

    Desperate, she clawed her way back to her feet and turned toward the Demon King, but the moment she moved, the jaws struck again. They snapped shut around her midsection, her shriek cutting off into a choking wheeze as her spine crunched between the beast¡¯s teeth. Then the beast wrenched its head back and swallowed the woman whole.

    Baron¡¯s eyes grew as wide as his toothy smile. He studied the massive, winged creature as it stepped out of the room. Even compared to the Demon King himself, this beast was enormous¡ªdwarfing everyone around it, its head standing four times taller than the Demon King¡¯s. Yet it showed no aggression, instead lowering its head as it stepped toward the Demon King, deliberately making itself appear smaller.

    Baron was so captivated by the creature that he barely noticed the other generals rising to their feet, their smiles echoing his own in varying shades of awe.

    ¡°This is the gift God has given us,¡± the Demon King announced, turning back toward his generals. ¡°The tall walls of the human cities will no longer be a problem for us.¡±

    ¡°My Lord... is that a Sablecrest!?¡± one general asked, stepping forward in awe. ¡°I thought they were only legends!¡±

    Baron¡¯s admiration for the creature deepened as he recognized the similarities between it and the ancient texts describing the Sablecrest¡ªa giant beast as dark as the blackest night, bearing two pairs of wings that stretched from horizon to horizon and crowned with red gemstones, earning it the title of king of demon beasts.

    Its scaly armor was as dark as midnight, blending into the shadows of the room. It boasted four wings: the upper pair folded tightly along its back, and the lower pair used to crawl along the floor like forelimbs.

    Notably, the creature had six eyes that glowed a bright red even in the dim light. Its neck stretched high above its back, yet remained proportional to its long, mostly hidden tail trailing behind in the other room.

    Baron didn¡¯t need anyone to confirm his assumptions¡ªthis was indeed the Sablecrest, the embodiment of fear itself.

    ¡°They are very much real,¡± the Demon King confirmed, patting the top of the beast¡¯s head twice, prompting it to lift its head off the floor and stand tall.

    ¡°But how!?¡± another general exclaimed.

    The Demon King raised his hand and gestured toward the demon general seated second in line opposite Baron. ¡°Kezor found the dungeon that opened in the heartland, and these beasts were pouring out of it.¡±

    All the generals turned their gaze toward the demon ranked second. He stood with his arms crossed, paying little attention to the others.

    ¡°Demons ruled all the lands in the days when these beasts lived. And now, we will rule again,¡± the Demon King declared as he began walking back toward the throne at the head of the table. ¡°However, it will take time. These beasts are still wild.¡±

    ¡°Well, training them to obey us shouldn¡¯t take too long,¡± Varek¡ªthe demon who had first objected to Baron¡ªoffered, as he and the other generals resumed their seats. ¡°We could start our attacks as soon as we have a good number of them under control.¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡± the Demon King replied as he took his seat. ¡°And with that being said, I have decided that the human city of Veltra will be our first kingdom of conquest.¡±

    Once again, nervous stares passed among the higher-ranking generals, but the Demon King didn¡¯t give them much time to object.

    ¡°With their presence left undisturbed, my plans will not proceed as I want them. The other kingdoms will be easier to take over in time, but Veltra will only grow stronger,¡± he explained.

    ¡°With them harboring those beast folk, and the Vegans providing protection, I want Veltra to be the first kingdom we wipe off the map! I don¡¯t want them accumulating any knowledge against us that they can use later on. So, if we destroy them first...¡± The Demon King continued, grabbing his large cup and hurling its contents across the table all the way to where Baron sat. ¡°The rest of the world will fall behind them... leaving only the damn Vegans and Rameshians to deal with in the end.¡±

    Baron glanced around as the generals slowly adopted pleased smiles, visibly agreeing with their lord. In reality, the Greater Beast races were the only ones with a real chance against the demons.

    With most of the human race turning against them¡ªharboring nearly as much hatred as they do for demons¡ªthey had nearly pushed two of the four Greater Beast races to extinction. The only races still standing strong were the Vegans, who guarded their own island with strict authority while aiding a few human kingdoms that accepted Greater Beast refugees, and the Rameshians, a Greater Beast race dwelling in the arid south.

    The Saiyakins, once inhabitants of the arctic north, had been driven nearly to extinction in their native lands by both humans and demons. They now sought refuge among the few human kingdoms that accepted them¡ªor, failing that, as slaves in human cities. The same fate had befallen the Trojans, who once ruled all the lands now mostly controlled by humans. Veltra was the largest and most powerful kingdom that harbored the Greater Beasts, utilizing them on a tremendous scale. Baron knew that if any human kingdom posed the greatest threat to them, it was Veltra.

    That also made it the most logical target to attack first.

    I love this plan... he thought, baring a wide, toothy grin as he fantasized about the bloodshed to come.

    ¡°A reasonable number of these beasts are already tamed,¡± the Demon King continued, before turning his gaze down the length of the table toward Baron. ¡°So, I want Generals Baron, Neroz, and Varek to lead the attack on Veltra.¡±

    The other demons snapped their heads toward the three lowest-ranking generals, then back to their lord.

    ¡°But, my Lord, Veltra is a powerful human city, just as you said... Should you not have one of your higher-ranking generals lead the attack?¡± asked Drazek, who sat across from Baron.

    ¡°I have more important matters to address later,¡± the Demon King replied, shifting his focus back to Baron and the two demon generals beside him. ¡°As long as they proceed with strategy, they will be able to catch even the most experienced Vegan soldiers off guard. No one would expect the Sablecrest to attack... Veltra is the one city that could adapt the fastest to such a threat. With that in mind, I¡¯d say three of the most powerful demons in the land are more than adequate to take one city.¡±

    Baron felt his lord¡¯s gaze narrow, locking onto him directly.

    ¡°I want you to move quickly, for tonight marks the beginning of a new age.¡±

    Baron, Neroz, and Varek rose to their feet and knelt on one knee before their lord, accepting the roles bestowed upon them and the heavy responsibility that followed.

 Chapter 1: A Lesson in Strength

    ¡°That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it!¡± Vlad encouraged as he continued to parry his little brother¡¯s barrage of strikes on the family training grounds. ¡°Keep going, Naem!¡±

    Naem gritted his teeth in determination. I can''t find an opening¡­!

    WHACK! WHACK!... WHACK!

    The repeated slamming of their wooden training swords rang in his ears. He felt the energy of each strike radiate from his hands through the rest of his body. If he didn¡¯t land his sword just right, the numbing sensation alone made his hands throb. Yet, no matter what angle of attack he used or how many times he struck, he could never get close enough to land a hit on his brother.

    I just want to land one strike on Vlad. That would at least make me feel like I¡¯ve made progress since the last time we sparred.

    He pushed his body forward, ignoring the burning pain in his muscles.

    Naem watched as Vlad effortlessly kept pace with him, blocking every strike with ease, almost as if he predicted every move. It was clear his brother wasn¡¯t going to give him an opening¡ªNaem would have to create one himself. But deep down, he knew he wasn¡¯t skilled enough to pull that off... not yet.

    After a few more failed attempts, his body finally gave out. The fire in his muscles forced him to stop, and he stumbled back, gasping for breath. Naem raised his sword into a defensive position, taking a brief moment to catch his breath. He watched as his brother lowered his own blade to his side in response to Naem stepping out of strike range.

    ¡°Come on, Naem.¡± Vlad urged as they began to circle each other. Only the crunch of snow beneath their feet broke the silence, but their eyes never wavered from each other. ¡°Do you want to keep being the disgrace to the Vegan name that everyone thinks you are?¡±

    Naem gripped his sword tighter, frustration boiling inside him, but he said nothing.

    Silence wasn¡¯t what Vlad wanted. He widened his eyes, tilting his head and cupping an ear toward his little brother.

    ¡°¡­ Well~?¡±

    ¡°No, Brother.¡±

    ¡°Then standing around in the middle of a duel isn¡¯t going to change anyone¡¯s mind.¡± Vlad noted curtly. ¡°You start at the academy next year, and believe me, they¡¯ll treat you like trash because of your lack of Manacalling. If you don¡¯t make up for it with the sword, you¡¯re in for a whole world of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, Brother!¡± Naem yelled, fighting back tears. He already knew he was pathetic. He¡¯d heard it a thousand times before, but coming from Vlad, it always hit differently. In a world of enemies, his brother was one of the few he could call an ally.

    Vlad frowned, clicking his tongue as he looked away. ¡°Tsk¡­ I¡¯m just trying to prepare you, Naem. Give you an edge over everyone else¡­ I won¡¯t always be there to stand up for you.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°We can call it a day if you¡¯re tired¡­¡± Vlad stopped circling, planting his feet and folding his massive tawny wings into a relaxed position. He glanced up at the clear sky. The sun hovered near the top of the distant Veltran wall, casting long shadows over the horizon. ¡°We¡¯ve gone later than usual anyway.¡±

    Naem¡¯s body screamed for him to stop, but the sight of his brother letting his guard down before officially ending the match was too tempting. He steeled himself, eyes scanning Vlad up and down. Then, with a powerful thrust of his wings, he launched forward, sword raised high.

    ¡°Ahaaaaaa!¡± Naem bellowed as he flew through the air, closing the short distance between him and his older brother in almost an instant. Yet time seemed to slow as he watched his brother tilt his head back in his direction with disappointed eyes¡ªeyes so sharp they could cut if they had a physical edge.

    The momentum from Naem¡¯s downward sword swing was diverted to block the arcing counterstrike.

    CRACK!!! Their swords collided so fiercely that Naem was sent flying to the right. Only a last-second decision to pour all his strength into pushing against his sword saved him from Vlad¡¯s swing colliding with his arm and chest. The cost was a furious vibration radiating from his wooden sword into his hands, leaving them painfully numb.

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    I can still catch him off guard¡­ he thought as he skidded across the snow-covered stone blocks of the training ground. He launched himself forward again with a powerful thrust of his wings. Instead of entering Brother¡¯s striking zone, I¡¯ll stay as low as I can! With his sword drawn to the side, Naem made a direct flight toward his brother¡¯s legs.

    A leg strike is technically cheating in a duel, he mused, glancing up at his brother¡¯s face. But any means of winning in war is allowed, isn¡¯t it, Brother?

    Vlad¡¯s face was hidden behind the feathers of his powerful wings as he turned to face Naem, creating a large blind spot.

    I can get this! Naem thought as he swung his sword to cut at Vlad¡¯s lower leg. I can get a¡­ huh¡­?

    WOMP¡­ Naem¡¯s sword halted instantly, wedged between the bottom of Vlad¡¯s foot and the stone ground, forcing him to lose his grip. His body contorted around the unmoving sword, flipping end over end once before he saw his brother¡¯s other foot rocket toward him.

    THUD!! ¡°Ack!!¡± Naem¡¯s chest felt as if struck by a hammer. There was no time to avoid or brace for the blow. His arms and legs flew limply forward as Vlad¡¯s powerful kick sent him reeling. His body rolled to a stop several paces behind his brother.

    ¡°KHOFF KHOFF KHOFF!!!¡± Naem''s body convulsed, unable to decide whether to cough or gasp for air. Instinct pushed him to get to his feet, even as his arms and legs felt utterly limp.

    ¡°And that¡­¡± Vlad began as he strode toward his brother.

    At the sight of Vlad¡¯s socked feet coming closer, Naem forced his eyes open to meet his brother¡¯s gaze, expecting the worst. Instead, he saw only Vlad¡¯s looming shadow towering over him, framed by the setting sun¡¯s fiery golden halo.

    ¡°¡­would have just bought you a one-way ticket back home.¡±

    Naem shut his eyes, bracing for retaliation. After several seconds of silence, he looked up at Vlad¡¯s outstretched hand and then at his face for reassurance. The raised brow told Naem all he needed to know. He reached up and took the helping hand, allowing himself to be hoisted to his feet.

    ¡°I¡ªI''m¡­ sorry, Brother¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry with me. Be sorry with yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Brother. Sorry, Brother.¡±

    ¡°I mean, what kind of attack was that? You left yourself far too open on the first strike, and your second was plain stupid. You¡¯re lucky I stomped your sword instead of your head¡ªyou¡¯d be dead if I were an opponent with Tank Skill like¡­ umm¡­¡±

    So, he¡¯s not even mad about cheating, just my form? Naem wondered as he retrieved his sword and followed Vlad back to the weapon rack, watching him visibly struggle to recall the name of Naem¡¯s best friend back home in Vega.

    ¡°¡­Hayden?¡±

    ¡°Yes, him!¡± Vlad snapped his fingers. He replaced his training sword on the wall rack and turned to face Naem. ¡°Other people won¡¯t follow the rules in a duel when you¡¯re out breaking them. In the end, you¡¯re dead¡ªbecause only the weak cheat. And that doesn¡¯t just apply at the Academy.¡±

    Naem always thought Vlad spoke as if he were thirty, not eighteen¡ªlike someone who¡¯d lived a long life and learned the hard way.

    ¡°That also doesn¡¯t just apply to others,¡± Vlad continued, drawing Naem¡¯s slipping attention. ¡°If anyone ever does to you what you did to me¡­ you better make them know their place.¡±

    ¡°But won¡¯t I be expelled!?¡± Naem asked defensively. ¡°You just said that cheating like I did would¡ª¡±

    ¡°Would you rather deal with the repercussions of that event, or with me¡­?¡± Vlad asked, crossing his arms. ¡°And pick wisely.¡±

    The look in his eyes made Naem visibly shrink back, which was all the answer Vlad needed. ¡°Furthermore, you do nothing wrong defending yourself. It only matters if you started the cheating. As long as you didn¡¯t, you¡¯re fine by me.¡±

    Naem nodded thoughtfully, but his attention was quickly drawn by their older sister Veyra entering the training grounds.

    ¡°Veyra¡­¡± Naem said, watching as Vlad turned to face her and bowed his head in respect.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you near that doorway,¡± Vlad teased, prompting Veyra¡ªa slightly older, winged woman¡ªto scoff in mild annoyance.

    ¡°Please, as if I¡¯d waste my day sweating to hone abilities that I have no use for,¡± Veyra began, smoothing out a wrinkle on her dress¡ªthough Naem doubted there even was one.

    ¡°More importantly, we have guests arriving shortly,¡± she said, narrowing her golden eyes. The look of disdain didn¡¯t quite match her usual posture, but it was obvious to the brothers¡ªa look she only adopted when discussing certain people.

    Naem immediately understood who she meant, and he returned her scornful expression, though his ten-year-old self couldn¡¯t hide it as well as his older, more experienced sister could. It didn¡¯t take someone as keen as Veyra to notice his change in attitude.

    ¡°Fix your face,¡± Veyra demanded, snapping Naem back to attention. ¡°The humans may not be pleasant, but if you show them disdain, there will be nothing any of us can do for you. Know that well.¡± She then eyed Vlad. ¡°Now go and make yourselves look at least somewhat presentable. Father and Mother are waiting.¡±

    Both Vlad and Naem bowed their heads to their sister. With that, she turned and disappeared down the corridor. Naem could barely lift his head before Vlad began to speak.

    ¡°She is right,¡± Vlad said as he climbed the steps to the door behind which Veyra had vanished. ¡°You should keep your feelings and beliefs about the humans to yourself¡­ always.¡±

    With that, Vlad spared a glance over his shoulder at Naem before disappearing in the same direction as their sister.

 Chapter 2: Silent Betrayal

    Naem slid open the wood and paper door and stepped out of his room. The stiff cloth robes he wore were far more formal than his training attire. Stitched from the purest black and gold thread, they signified his place among the Soren household, while the deep red Vegan crest embroidered on his left shoulder marked his allegiance to the Vegan Empire. Yet even at his young age, Naem knew that the title given at birth was merely a fa?ade that would fade with time.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach the greeting hall¡ªnot the largest room on the estate, but one of the most important. Its elongated design housed the estate''s main entrance on the far left and seated the Soren family heads on the far right. Despite its significance, Naem found the room one of the least enjoyable spaces in the estate.

    Aside from its dullness, the hall was used only every few days. The family often had to sit for hours while their father conferred with officials governing Veltra. Needless to say, no one ever sought Naem¡¯s input, nor did he desire it. All he wanted was to be doing something else¡ªlike today.

    ¡°If only I had quit training sooner, I could be gone by now¡­¡± Naem muttered under his breath, disappointed as he stood before the hall¡¯s doors. ¡°Stupid humans... I¡¯ll have to tell Sakura and the others I¡¯m sorry tomorrow.¡±

    From the end of training until sunset was the only free time he allowed himself. This meeting could cut into the time he had set aside to meet his friends.

    With a sigh and hopes for a quick meeting, he slid through the doors and entered the greeting hall. He walked straight and quietly along the wall. Neither his father nor his mother spared him a glance as he shuffled over to his seat beside Vlad at the far end of the arching, bow-like seating arrangement.

    Being the youngest, he sat at the end of his father''s left-hand side¡ªfollowed by Vlad and then Veyra. The three seats mirroring them on his father''s right were vacant, as his three oldest brothers were fulfilling their duties as generals overseeing the Vegan soldiers guarding Veltra''s outer walls.

    Vlad and Veyra sat patiently on their heels, eyes closed, with wings draped gracefully behind them. Naem assumed the same position. Glancing at Vlad, he noticed his older brother sneaking a peek at him. Naem guessed Vlad was checking his posture, as his eyelids soon closed in an almost affirmative manner.

    Just then, the doors at the other end of the hall were pulled open by two Vegan guards. Naem watched as numerous human guardsmen entered the hall. Clad almost entirely in metal, except for the two at the forefront in decorated military attire, the group moved with purpose.

    Naem recognized the two men leading the group; they had come on several occasions to discuss matters with their father, but never with such a large contingent. This piqued his curiosity and made him anxious about why they were all here.

    It might actually be serious this time, he thought as the human footsteps grew louder. That could explain the odd meeting time, but why the guards?

    ¡°Soren!¡± The man at the front announced, his voice growling with anger.

    ¡°Captain Peek,¡± Valric Soren began. At the sound of their father, Naem and his older siblings looked up. ¡°What matter of urgency brings you here at this hour?¡±

    Captain Peek and his Lieutenant stopped roughly in front of Vlad, with guards a few paces behind. ¡°I received several reports from my men about an incident early this morning. They say screams were coming from the base of the east wall just before sunrise, then quickly faded into the sky. Later, a distressed mother of three came into my office, claiming her husband hadn¡¯t returned from work. Further investigation revealed he never showed up, and large amounts of blood were found in the street near the reported site¡ªclose to his home.¡±

    Valric exhaled heavily. ¡°That sounds very similar to reports my men have given over the past few days. Several Saiyakin and Trojan Beasts have disappeared in a similar manner, shortly before sunrise and after¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you honestly think I care about the outcome for you beasts?¡± Captain Peek interrupted, his voice slow and laced with disgust.

    No matter how hard Naem tried to ignore it, his brow furrowed. You stuck-up piece of filth! Of course, you humans only care when one of your own is affected.

    ¡°Perhaps not...¡± Valric murmured after a pause.

    ¡°No,¡± Captain Peek replied curtly, ¡°the only thing I care about is how you¡¯ll take responsibility.¡±

    Naem was livid. He glanced at Vlad, but only received a narrow, warning look. It was clear Vlad didn¡¯t want him to say or do anything. But how could he remain silent?

    The disrespect! Naem seethed, feeling as though he were boiling inside. Why should Father take responsibility?

    Valric narrowed his gaze, but his wife Avara, sitting beside him, spoke up before he could. ¡°And why do you believe we should be held responsible? Do you think we commit such atrocities against our own? And against the human race at that?¡±

    ¡°Name me another race of beast that can carry its victims and vanish into the sky,¡± Captain Peek said, his tone suggesting he already knew the answer. ¡°The east wall is lightly guarded by my men because it¡¯s out of the way. Yet your men atop it guard it regularly. Combine that with the well-known fact that you Vegans despise us humans¡ªeven though we give you sanctuary in our great Kingdom¡ªand it¡¯s proof enough to me that your men are responsible.¡±

    Peek¡¯s gaze darkened as he turned toward Veyra. ¡°I will have someone make an example out of you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a chance these disappearances are linked to the demons¡ªnew dungeons have been opening up all around lately...¡± Valric began, but he was cut off.

    ¡°You¡¯d blame the demons to cover up your hideous crimes?¡± Captain Peek scoffed with a whimsical laugh. ¡°The screams disappeared into the sky! The only beasts that can fly are you Vegans. If demons could fly, what good are the walls that we surround ourselves with...? Anyway, take the girl.¡±

    Naem watched as the human captain flicked his fingers dismissively toward Veyra.

    ¡°W¨CWhat!?¡± she stammered, rising to her feet, confusion and fear on her face as two iron-clad guards advanced toward her. She fought herself on either to run or fight before looking over to her father for reassurance, but he only closed his eyes and looked away. ¡°Father!?¡±

    Naem¡¯s heart pounded in his ears. He glanced from his father to Vlad, but his brother sat quietly with his eyes closed. The painful look of regret in his sister¡¯s voice grew. ¡°Brother!?¡±

    Why? Why aren¡¯t you doing anything? Naem thought, then looked up at his parents again. Why is no one doing anything!?

    ¡°No! Please no!¡± Veyra screamed as the guards grabbed her and began dragging her toward the captain. She resisted fiercely. Using her powerful wings to push back, she struggled until a quick jab to the side of her face made her yield. Naem could take it no longer.

    ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Naem screamed. He flapped his wings powerfully and shoved the closest guard holding Veyra. The man stumbled and fell as Naem moved to the other human.

    ¡°Naem, no!¡± Veyra pleaded as she tried to stop him, but he ignored her cries. Gritting his teeth, he swiftly moved past his sister. Using a tactic Vlad had taught him, he struck the ball of his foot against the inside of the guard¡¯s knee. However, the guard stood firm¡ªas if Naem had kicked a brick wall¡ªand the snap of bones in his foot confirmed it.

    Pain flared in Naem¡¯s foot, and before he could react, the guard returned a powerful kick that sent him flying backward. He landed on his back near Captain Peek¡¯s feet. With his wings flared out, he clutched his injured foot, fighting back a scream.

    ¡°My, my¡­¡± Captain Peek remarked, glancing down at Naem. ¡°It appears your kind is more animal than I thought.¡±

    Naem locked eyes with Peek. Get up! I''ve got to get up!

    Naem rolled onto his side, only to see the guard one pace away with his foot reared as if about to kick a ball. He tightened his core and guarded his face, but the impact was far stronger than expected. The iron boot left him breathless as he was sent flying into the rest of the guards.

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    ¡°Naem!¡± Veyra exclaimed as he rolled toward the feet of the remaining guards. Naem did not even have time to cough or gasp for air before the guardsmen encircled him and began to beat and kick him while he lay on the ground. Strike after strike landed all over his body. He tried to protect his head for a moment, but his arms weakened after only a few blows.

    I won¡¯t give in to the pain, he thought, staring past the guards above him to the ceiling. I will not give them the pride of breaking me.

    A kick to the side of his face blurred his vision, but Naem could still see through the iron-clad feet of the guardsmen. His gaze landed on Vlad, who still sat on his heels, though this time, he was glaring at Naem with anger.

    Brother... help me... Naem thought as tears rolled down his face. He looked past Vlad and saw Veyra still on the ground, one of the guards standing on top of her. He pinned her down by her wings as she tried to crawl away. Why don¡¯t you help Sister? Why are you just sitting there?

    The pain coursing through his body seemed to drift away as Naem¡¯s vision blurred further. He looked back up at Vlad, who now had his head hung low, eyes clamped shut.

    Ahh... I guess this is my fault... Naem thought as he looked back up toward the ceiling.

    There will be nothing any of us can do for you...

    You should keep your feelings and beliefs about the humans to yourself¡­ always...

    The voices of his brother and sister echoed in his mind.

    I charged in without thinking again... he thought, watching as one of the guards drew a gun and pointed it between his eyes.

    He closed his eyes. Damn humans...

    BANG!

    <h3 style="text-align: center">¡ù ¡ù ¡ù

    Vlad sat unmoving with his eyes fixed onto his brother and the guardsmen around him. He watched as the guard quickly threw the gun aside and grasped his hand to try and soothe the stinging. The gun clattered across the ground and came to a stop at the end of the rug¡ªthe red-hot barrel searing the rug briefly before beginning to cool.

    All the eyes in the greeting hall were on him, but he did not care. He lowered his gaze and saw that Naem was rolling onto his side.

    Good, he¡¯s alive at least... he thought, then looked toward Captain Peek. It had been a while since he had used his mana, and he knew his eyes had become dull in color¡ªthough that would change now, but he intended to use it to his advantage.

    ¡°Vlad! How dare you turn your powers against the humans!¡± Valric announced angrily as he stood. ¡°What manner of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stand quiet, Father,¡± Vlad said, his bright golden eyes focusing intently on him, standing to his feet. ¡°I have not turned my powers against the humans, but upon the gun that was drawn against my brother.¡±

    He knew his father was filled with internal rage, but submission was the only option¡ªboth knew it would be a one-sided fight if it broke out. Though Valric was the head of the Soren House, if Manacalling abilities were in the form of a spear, Vlad would be the tip and Valric the butt, even with Valric being a high-ranking A Rank Beast.

    Vlad turned and looked at the guard standing over Veyra. The guard visibly stiffened at the sight of Vlad¡¯s golden stare but stood firm.

    ¡°Get off of her, or you will die where you stand,¡± Vlad demanded. After a moment of hesitation, the guard took several steps back and allowed Veyra to gather herself.

    Vlad turned back to Peek, who was now facing him directly.

    ¡°So, it was you all along...¡± Peek started, the puzzle pieces fitting together in his head. ¡°The rumors of a Vegan who could bend fire to its will... supposedly one of the strongest Beasts alive.¡±

    ¡°What of it?¡± Vlad demanded.

    Peek shrugged. ¡°Nothing in particular, other than the fact that S Ranked Beasts bring quite a high bounty in other kingdoms. It is smart of you to hide in a place where they wouldn¡¯t hang your wings on a wall... I thought it might have been the old geezer over there, but I was never sure.¡±

    ¡°What was it that they called this guy, Lieutenant?¡± Peek asked over his shoulder to the other officer.

    ¡°The Hand of Vuldran, Sir,¡± Lieutenant Maelor said.

    ¡°Oh, yes. I guessed it had something to do with one of those spirits they worship,¡± Peek replied.

    ¡°Enough of your babbling,¡± Vlad interjected. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point. As Father said, we are already gathering information about the attacks. Once we have a lead, we will present it to the Marshall. However, it would be in your best interest to leave before doing something regrettable.¡±

    ¡°And what could I do that would be regrettable?¡± Peek asked mockingly. ¡°Kill the boy? Maybe the young lady?¡±

    ¡°Any further action will result in the legion of Vegan Soldiers guarding your walls flying back to our homeland,¡± Vlad affirmed. ¡°Every manner of Demon will be clawing their way in once they see the Vegans no longer guard this land.¡±

    ¡°There is no way you could make that happen,¡± Peek said.

    ¡°The members of the Soren House are their Lords,¡± Vlad answered, stepping closer until he was eye to eye with Peek. ¡°We rule over them, not the humans. If we decide to go back to Vega, some will come to replace us, yes, but your city will be in ashes by then, I am sure.¡±

    Vlad watched the anger grow in Peek¡¯s eyes until it overtook his face. The officer bared his teeth like an animal, but Vlad paid it no mind. He turned and began walking back to his previous position, knowing what was coming next and readying himself for it.

    Six shots rang out behind him, but he felt nothing. Vlad turned to see Peek¡¯s face riddled with confusion, just before his gun crumbled in his hand into tiny cubical pieces. The officer looked down in a mix of horror and anger, then back up at Vlad.

    ¡°Monsters... You all are monsters!¡±

    ¡°As it stands now,¡± Vlad said calmly, ¡°you can walk out of here less two guns and a handful of bullets¡­ though I will not be so careful with my aim moving forward.¡±

    Captain Peek clicked his tongue and bared his teeth, but before he could react further, Lieutenant Maelor placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I do believe we have done enough, Sir. We didn¡¯t come here with the intent of shedding blood.¡±

    Captain Peek stood for a moment, glaring at Vlad. Then he turned toward the door. ¡°Something better must come out of this recent attack, or it will result in all your heads on stakes,¡± he announced as his guards cleared the sides to let the two officers pass through.

    Vlad watched the group of humans exit the room, then turned his gaze to Naem, who stood limply off to the side. His face was covered in scuffs and bruises, but it was the look of betrayal that pained Vlad the most.

    ¡°Why...?¡± Naem asked, his voice raw with emotion, tears streaming down his cheeks as Veyra stepped around the back of Vlad toward him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help Sister... but you helped me?¡±

    Vlad watched as Veyra knelt beside their brother, looking him over. He didn¡¯t have an answer he could give right now, so he remained silent.

    ¡°You...¡± Valric snarled as he descended the few stairs toward Vlad. ¡°You dare defy me? In my House?¡±

    ¡°So says the one without a backbone,¡± Vlad retorted, turning to face his father. ¡°How can you just sit there and watch your children be beaten? How can you not react when a gun is drawn to their heads!?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go...¡± Veyra whispered to Naem, gently guiding him out of the greeting hall.

    ¡°Do you expect me to go against the humans and risk our House¡¯s stability?¡± Valric shot back. ¡°It is because of that child that we are here in the first place and not back in Vega.¡±

    ¡°Just because he was associated with that girl does not make him at fault,¡± Vlad argued. ¡°That is just the excuse that everyone¡ª¡±

    The slap cracked through the hall, its sharp pop echoing off the walls.

    Vlad caught his mother¡¯s sharp glance out of the corner of his eye, but she quickly looked away, as if she had seen nothing. He let out a slow breath, then lifted his gaze back to his father, who bore down on him with a wide-eyed, furious glare. Vlad bit his tongue, refusing to say another word. He narrowed his own eyes in response, knowing full well that his father understood he was right¡ªbut was too prideful to admit it.

    ¡°You will be punished for speaking out against my will,¡± Valric declared before turning and exiting through the opposite side of the hall. His wife rose silently and followed him out without a word.

    Vlad sighed before turning to check on Veyra and Naem. He walked the corridors for a while before arriving at Veyra¡¯s room, assuming she had taken Naem there.

    Vlad knocked on the wooden and paper door. ¡°Veyra, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    He slid the door open and saw only Veyra, gathering bloodied pieces of cloth from the floor. His eyes swept over the plainly decorated room, but Naem was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°You should have just kept to yourself...¡± Veyra said, drawing Vlad¡¯s attention back to her as she stood.

    ¡°I held back for as long as I could.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s only by the hand of the Spirits that things worked out the way they did,¡± Veyra noted, tossing the bloody cloth into a basket in the corner. ¡°Otherwise, we all might have¡ª¡±

    ¡°That would never happen,¡± Vlad interrupted, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe and crossing his arms. ¡°Spineless and prideful¡ªthat¡¯s all they are. None of them can do anything, not when they¡¯re as powerless as they are.¡±

    Veyra narrowed her eyes at her younger brother before sitting down at the small desk in the center of her room, returning to her studies. ¡°You may not be spineless, Brother, but you are prideful.¡±

    Vlad met her gaze before glancing around her room again. ¡°I¡¯d call it ¡®confidence in my abilities¡¯ rather than prideful... Nonetheless, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, yes.¡±

    ¡°And what about Naem?¡±

    Veyra gestured over her shoulder toward the basket with the bloodied clothes. ¡°I healed his foot and the deeper cuts, but he left before I was completely done. You just missed him.¡±

    Vlad nodded, though his mind was elsewhere.

    He probably went to find his friends... Though, it¡¯s getting late, he thought, standing in silence for a few moments longer. Straightening up, he brushed out the wrinkles in his uniform. I¡¯ll go find him later after I¡¯m done¡­

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to receive retribution,¡± Vlad said, sliding the door shut behind him. ¡°Wish me luck.¡±

    ¡°Vlad...¡± Veyra said, turning back around to face her brother. She waited until he pulled the door back open just enough to see her. ¡°Thank you...¡±

    Vlad smiled. ¡°I only finished what Naem started.¡±

 Chapter 3: Between Worlds

    Naem flew east. The darkness of the sky before him was slowly starting to push back the light from the setting sun behind him. And with the growing darkness came the chill of the brisk winter air that cut along his face, shoulders, and the leading edge of his white and black speckled wings. He squinted to try and ward off the stinging from the rushing air, but the tears building in his eyes only made his face that much colder as they streamed toward his ears.

    He brushed away his tears with the hem of his clothes, trying to clear his head and forget about what had happened, and tried to look only forward. Though, he could not will his mind to drift to something else.

    Why? Why is this world so cruel¡­? Why is it that a race with no power rules over races with great power!? He thought angrily, ¡°And why is it that I''m the one STUCK between both¡­!? What sense does that make?¡±

    Naem flew for a short while across the open plains of Veltra¡¯s third ring before coming to a less-than-ideal landing. The frozen snow that blanketed everything crunched beneath his feet as he started his short walk toward the large entrance gate separating the kingdom¡¯s middle and outer rings. Typically, Naem would rather there be no snow¡ªit reminded him too much of Vega¡ªthough today he saw it as a silent blessing. For what it¡¯s worth, the cold numbed his body enough that the pain was not overwhelming in the parts he had not allowed Veyra enough time to heal. He could manage that for a little while.

    Naem looked up and saw soldiers high atop the wall, stationed at specific points as far as the eye could see in both directions. He watched two of the stationed guards near the top of the entrance walk toward each other and meet in the middle of their posts, and after a second, he watched the one on the left heave himself over the top of the wall and spread his giant brown wings.

    Every time¡­ Naem thought as he watched, the Vegan soldier glided down toward him and came to a thundering stop a couple of paces in front. His iron boots crashed into the snow to avoid slipping, unlike Naem, who had neglected to do so earlier.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty late, kiddo,¡± Akiby stated, assuming a more formal posture before Naem, retracting his wings, and sliding off his pearl-white helmet that matched the rest of his armor. His blackened hair was cut shorter than most Vegan men¡¯s¡ªit was long enough to pull up into the signature Vegan topknot but did not leave much behind.

    It was a haircut Naem swore he would one day have. The traditional long hair of Vegan command that he was forced to wear¡ªalongside the rest of his family¡ªalways got in the way as he sparred or engaged in other fast, reflexive activities. The shorter hairstyle still kept with tradition and culture but was far more practical, in Naem¡¯s opinion.

    If the man¡¯s towering stature was not enough to show his strength, his sharp facial features and gruff-sounding voice¡ªwhich greatly betrayed that he was only the same age as his sister¡ªwere enough for Naem to imagine the man being able to wrestle a horse and win. Akiby was a prime specimen of a man wielding the Tank skill, a skill Naem often dreamed of having.

    Akiby tucked his helmet under his arm; his arm held a large shield, which he then drew closer to his chest. He then looked down at Naem. ¡°I had assumed you wouldn¡¯t be coming today.¡±

    ¡°Training went a little longer today, and then there were other matters I needed to be present for,¡± Naem said as he tried to hide his limp.

    Akiby cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Damn, sir. Vlad put you through the wringer, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    Naem¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my brother¡­¡±

    About that time, both Naem and Akiby fell silent for a moment, listening to the slowly growing roar of hooves approaching the entrance to the kingdom¡¯s middle ring. They looked back to see a convoy of around a dozen horses thundering up the trail.

    Soldiers clad in Veltran silver armor from helmet to boot rode atop the horses that were not pulling the covered carriage in the center of the group.

    Naem had no doubt that this was the group that had just left his residence. Even though the curtains on the carriage were drawn closed, he knew that was where the two officers were riding.

    Naem and Akiby both watched as the convoy barreled past them, with the handful of guards stationed at the base of the gate all clearing out to the sides to let the convoy pass through without ever needing to stop.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Akiby said with a nod, quickly building a mental picture of what exactly had happened. ¡°I guess that old captain wasn¡¯t too happy this time around. Are you all right?¡±

    Akiby looked Naem up and down before starting to lead him toward the gate. ¡°Did Lady Veyra not heal you up?¡±

    ¡°She healed the wounds that crippled me,¡± Naem said as he followed behind Akiby as strongly as he could, ¡°but she was taking too long, and it really doesn''t hurt too much right now... I just wanted to get out of there.¡±

    Abiky nodded slowly, ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s understandable.¡±

    Naem bit his tongue for a moment, debating whether he should say anything else, but eventually gave in.

    Abiky and Brother are friends. I bet he knows exactly how he is... He thought. He probably knows more about Brother than I do anyway...

    ¡°He didn''t do anything...¡± he murmured under his breath.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Abiky asked, hearing Naem enough to know he said something but not enough to understand what.

    ¡°Brother... He just sat there like, Father.¡± Naem explained, his words shy as he second-guessed himself for saying this. ¡°He didn''t do anything to help Sister and was just going to let them take her away.¡±

    Abiky let out a boastful laugh, throwing Naem for a shock. ¡°Now, do you really think that he would have let them do that?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, he didn''t do anything!¡± Naem said. ¡°Even when they got me, he didn''t do anything until they were about to kill me...¡± Naem thought back to see Vlad¡¯s face filled with anger as he looked down at him through the legs of the guardsmen beating him. ¡°If anything, he looked angry with him as he sat and watched.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I guarantee you he was angry. Though, I doubt it was with you,¡± Abiky said. ¡°You must remember the situation, Sir. Vlad and Sir. Valric would have been in. As badly as they might have wanted to, standing up and fighting against those bastards would have been the wrong thing to do. Honestly, it was probably what they were hoping to happen...¡±

    This was where Naem really bit down hard on his tongue. No way am I telling him that.

    ¡°For him to stand up to them in the end meant that there was no other way around it,¡± Abiky continued. ¡°If there was another way, I am sure he would have rather gone down that path. But I know that Sir. Vlad would have never let anything happen to you or Lady Veyra. Hell! You know him¡ªhe was probably using it as some sort of test against the both of you or something... He would have had his reasons. That''s just the way he is.¡±

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    Naem watched as Akiby gave an understanding nod but said nothing further. For as long as Naem had known Akiby, that was how he had always been. He had always seen him as the third wheel to Vlad and Veyra in their friend group. Veyra had the smarts, Akiby had the bronze, and Vlad dominated them both in their respective categories.

    However, even though he knew Akiby was from a higher-ranking and well-respected house like himself, he never showed a sense of pride in himself or did things in a way that suggested he wanted to outshine them. The only thing he ever saw Akiby take pride in was whenever he talked of Vlad and Veyra¡ªand occasionally when he talked of his younger sister.

    Even when it came to his current position in the Vegan Empire, he was placed directly under Vlad¡¯s command, yet he always came down and greeted him each day with a smile. Naem knew that he should realistically be commanding his own group of men, not simply guarding a wall where there was no action.

    ¡°Ehh, cheer up, kiddo,¡± Akiby said as he placed the firm grip of his hand around the back of Naem¡¯s neck and jerked him as if waking him from a trance. Naem hadn¡¯t even realized, but the man had fallen back a few paces to walk side by side with him.

    ¡°They only hate us because they fear us. Sadly, though, they only pick on you because they see you as weak.¡±

    Naem¡¯s frown returned as he looked up at the man beside him. ¡°I''m sorry, but in what way is this supposed to make me feel better, Abiky?¡±

    Abiky smiled. ¡°Most people only look at and judge another by what¡¯s on the surface level. Rarely do they ever take the time to break through the ice to see the life that teems underneath it.¡±

    ¡°Humans are the worst at this, but beasts like ourselves are not innocent either,¡± he continued as they drew closer to the group of guardsmen stationed at the base of the gate. ¡°You might be weak in some aspects, yes, but I don''t need to know that Lady Veyra is teaching you to see that you are a very smart young man. It¡¯s very apparent in the way that you talk and think. And Sir. Vlad talks highly of you and how much you have progressed in swordsmanship¡­¡±

    ¡°Having book smarts and a deep knowledge of the sword alone will get you much farther through the academy than you may think.¡± Akiby tightened his grip around the back of Naem¡¯s neck, and both of them stopped as they got within earshot of the human guardsman at the gate. ¡°But on top of both of those things, you also have friends here and back in Vega¡­ The rather unhealthy relationship you have with humans right now doesn¡¯t help much either. My sister, for example¡ªshe is very smart, she''s excellent with the sword, and she does have very strong manacontrol¡ªbut she lacks the other two things that you have. And for that, I worry about her.¡±

    ¡°Knowledge, combat, and magic. That is what the academy is all about,¡± Naem protested to Abiky. ¡°What good is it to be great at two of the core subjects if you need all three to graduate like your sister?¡±

    ¡°Magic is nothing more than a spiritual divider that separates us from them,¡± Abiky stated as he jabbed his thumb back in the direction of the human guardsman. ¡°Some see it as a status quo or a way to label different races based on the gifts that the Spirits gave them, but that''s just pathetic. Just trust me when I say that as long as you stick to the same morals you have now, I believe you will be more likely to graduate than most everyone else.¡±

    Naem narrowed his eyes in confusion, but Abiky patted him hard on the back with a smile and began to lead him again toward the guardsmen before he could say anything else. ¡°Come on. Let''s get you to your friends before it gets too dark.¡±

    Naem walked patiently in silence as Abiky checked him in through the gate and then led him into the city. Even with it being rather late in the day, the city still bustled with an activity that was drowned out rather well by the walls.

    Naem took off as fast as the pain throughout his body allowed him toward the crowd that cluttered the street and waved back to Abiky behind him. ¡°Thank you, Abiky!¡±

    He watched Abiky bring his free hand up and place it over his heart with a bow of his head before turning back to the gate.

    Vendors here and there, who had set up shop on either side of the wide, snow-covered, stone street, hollered out to passersby as they proffered some of the goods they were selling. Food, jewelry, weaponry, and armor were only a few of the things that Naem could make out in their stalls.

    ¡°What a great choice, my Lady!¡± one of the vendors cried out, drawing Naem¡¯s attention. ¡°That there is a, uh, Bellion Red apple. The sweetness of them is so good, it tastes like it was grown in the King¡¯s backyard itself! Trust me, it is well worth the ten bronze shekels...¡±

    Another scam... Naem thought, turning away. I bet it is just a normal apple, probably with wax on it as well to give it the shine.

    Most of the buildings around this part of the city were designated more for trade, with the few odd shops here and there. It was a good spot to have places where farmers from the outer ring would come and sell their goods, or where hunters could sell their catches from outside the outer wall to the guilds¡ªwhether it be beast or demon¡ªall without traveling too far into the city... something that all the vendors clearly tried their best to exploit.

    Naem weaved his way around the people who clumped together in little social units of both humans and Greater Beasts. Saiyakins and Trojans mingled in great numbers, with the occasional civilian Vegan in their mix, but rarely did Naem catch a glimpse of a Greater Beast and a human tangled up in conversation. At first glance, it would look as if there was a sense of fellow camaraderie between the Beasts and humans, though if you looked closer, the little things were always easy to pick out.

    The Beasts always shuffled out of the way of the humans and tried to avoid eye contact for fear of retribution. Not only that, but for the most part the humans always dressed in much finer clothing than any of the Beasts, whose clothes were usually much duller and shaggier by comparison.

    That was something the entire city seemed to adopt. The buildings that lined the main road cutting through the heart of the city to the inner ring were all kept well maintained, slowly starting to look more and more expensive the closer they got to the inner wall where all the high-ranking officials lived.

    That, however, was not the direction Naem was heading. He cut to the right down an alleyway and into another side street. It was far less crowded than the main street. The snow that covered it was not beaten down so much that it had nearly turned to ice like the other, making it much easier to walk on.

    They are all probably down at the river by now. Naem thought, and he jogged as fast as his body would allow him to. He cut down several other alleyways while heading in the same general direction.

    Each street he crossed felt like he was stepping further and further into another city entirely. The buildings became noticeably older and more run down, along with the streets. Missing stones created large holes that collected water that was not frozen. But it was not just the infrastructure that got worse¡ªthe humans and Beasts that wandered around before dark looked more and more miserable as well. Many groups outside huddled together around a small fire to keep warm and converse, while animals ran free here and there.

    Naem stopped in his tracks as a group of little Saiyakin boys chased each other with sticks, running right in front of him as if he were never there. He watched them run further down the street before a group of men sitting around a fire drew his attention. All of them sat on crates with blankets draped over their heads or shoulders to block the cold, and they were all staring right at him.

    It took him a second to realize why he was attracting the stares. He looked down at the black and gold uniform he was wearing with regret.

    I forgot to change back into my training uniform. he thought before looking back in the opposite direction. In the distance, he could see the river where his friends usually played at the end of the street. Should I just go back home...?

    The training uniform he usually wore served several purposes. It was one of the few pieces of clothing he had that he did not fear getting dirty or accidentally tearing when he played. Also, it was not nearly as expensive looking as the Soren House Uniform he wore now. His current clothes did not stand out as much back on the main street; however, here in the back alleys, they made him stand out... a lot.

    Naem looked over to see a bundle of cloth on top of a few crates further down the street. I would probably hide my uniform there, or cover it up...? What good would that do? It would get stolen for sure if I left it there, and covering it up would be too annoying...

    After a moment, Naem sighed with closed eyes, his breath forming a puff of steam in front of his mouth. ¡°I will just meet up with them tomorrow.¡±

    He turned back the way he came, grabbing his left arm, which began to hurt more and more. He did not want to show up in front of the others wearing the clothes he had on anyway.

    Naem opened his eyes to a shock, his body jolting back a painful step with white wings flared. The blue eyes of the Saiyakin girl a few steps in front of him were drawn wide in surprise. Her wolflike ears stood straight up on the top of her blonde-haired head; however, the rest of her hunched-over body refused to move. Her hands were drawn up with claw-like fingers and knees bent just enough to send her flying forward into a powerful leap.

    All the characteristics of a hunter that had been spotted by her prey.

 Chapter 4: The Cruel Divide

    ¡°Sakura, come on! He¡¯s not coming today~!¡± Sakiri complained as she looked back to the rest of her friends playing down by the riverside. ¡°We need you to play so there''s a Demon.¡±

    Sakura flattened her ears in annoyance and looked over her shoulder at her twin. ¡°He''s just running late. He''ll be here soon¡­¡±

    She turned back the way she had looked before and rested her chin in the palm of her socked hand. She liked her spot, perched atop what was now a partially standing wall left over from the collapse of a building. If she sat the way she was now, she had a clear view down the old street, but if she sat the other way, she had a pleasant view of the river that cut through the city nearly as far as she could see. This spot was also a place where the others could not easily reach her and only had enough room for one¡ªlegs dangling over one side and her blonde tail draping over the other.

    ¡°Besides,¡± Sakura grumbled, ¡°I said that I don''t like playing that game. I''m always the demon. Somebody else can be it for once.¡±

    ¡°Because none of us can be the demon! You know that they can''t use Spirit arts like the rest of us,¡± Sakiri complained further, her voice growing more and more whiny. ¡°If any of us were to play, it would be breaking the rules.¡±

    ¡°I can use Spirit arts too, you know!¡± Sakura retaliated.

    ¡°Yes, but having a good memory and the Healing skill isn''t much of a combat art,¡± Sakiri said, before looking up to see her sister¡¯s peering, blue-eyed glaze cutting down toward her. ¡°But that''s what makes you a great demon! Besides, everyone else is too slow, so the game ends quickly. Pleeeeeaaaassssse¡ª¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°UGH!¡± Sakiri turned in frustration and began to storm back to the group. She stopped after a couple of steps as one of the other Saiyakin girls in the group paused her playing and stepped forward. The smug look on her face hinted at trouble brewing.

    ¡°Don''t worry about your sister, Sakiri,¡± the girl said teasingly. ¡°It isn''t the game she doesn''t want to play. She just wants to wait for her boyfriend~.¡±

    Sakura craned her head around so fast and so far that her neck threatened to snap. ¡°W-What!?¡±

    All of the other kids burst into laughter.

    ¡°Look!¡± one of the Trojan boys laughed. ¡°Her face is so red now¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it''s not!¡± Sakura argued, becoming more angry than embarrassed.

    ¡°Is too!¡±

    Sakura bared her teeth with flattened ears, but before she could lash out, she caught a glimpse of the figure standing up from a pile of crates stacked against the side of a building a few paces away from the group.

    ¡°That''s enough,¡± the figure said, his words rolling off his tongue with a subtle growl hidden within them. It was apparent he wore the same fur skins and cloth as Sakura and Sakiri, but the only real details that could be made out were the piercing blue of his irises, shining brightly in the darkness. And with them came a sense of weight across all the kids in the group, both Saiyakin and Trojan, making them all fall silent as they watched the figure step closer.

    ¡°I''m not in the mood for all your bickering today,¡± Relker continued as he walked out of the shadows toward the girl who had first stepped out of the group. His taller and more toned stature gave a sense of security to the kids when they played together each day. However, his birth defect cursed him with a bad limp in his left leg, forcing him to rely on a wooden brace that squeaked like the wheels of a cart with each step. It was something he was constantly made fun of for, but he rarely took it to heart.

    The closer he got to her, the more she leaned back onto her heels. ¡°W-What¡­? Do you want me to apologize to her or something?¡±

    Relker stopped just before her, his eyes closed and his socked hand raised in front of him, bare fingers straight. ¡°Yes, I do, Sakaya,¡± he said, right before dropping his hand in a chopping motion straight to the center of the girl''s head.

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    Sakaya grasped the top of her head, ears flattening and tail tucking for a moment, before realizing that the chop was not nearly as painful as she had expected¡ªor made it out to be. If anything, it just annoyed her more.

    ¡°Well, she''s your sister. Could you at least tell her to come and play!?¡± she argued, turning her eyes back up to Relker¡¯s with fury.

    ¡°If she wants to sit up on the wall the entire time, that''s her prerogative,¡± Relker said, his tone a lot gentler as he looked down at the girl¡ªthe loose strands of his blond hair, escaping his twine tie, falling around his face. ¡°I''m not going to force her to play something you all always drag her into. You could apologize and play something else that she enjoys as well if you want her to be part of it.¡±

    Sakaya sighed audibly before turning back toward Sakura sitting on the wall. ¡°¡­Huh? She''s gone.¡±

    Relker and Sakiri both looked back, along with the rest of the kids in the group, to see that Sakura was missing from her perch high on the wall.

    Relker let out a deep sigh of dread. ¡°Not again¡­¡±

    <h3 style="text-align: center">¡ù ¡ù ¡ù

    Sakura cut her way through the side streets and alleyways toward the main strip. She was upset but tried not to let the anger get the best of her.

    ¡°Healing is a combat art. Every fight needs a healer¡­¡± she said to herself before jumping over a puddle of partially melted snow. ¡°They would all be lost without me, always coming and asking for help.¡±

    Sakura made her way up to the main strip, shielding her eyes from the last bit of sunlight that passed over the middle wall. The number of people was immense, even at this time of day, causing her anxiety to rise a little. She hated large crowds but seemed to get a little more used to them the older she got. Still, she was one to avoid them if at all possible.

    She looked to her left at the large entrance to the metal ring and began making her way toward it, keeping to herself as much as she could. She nearly hugged the many stalls erected at the base of the buildings.

    I''m sure he''s already here. Probably hung up helping somebody, she thought with a little giggle¡ªrecalling a time when she caught Naem giving a begging mother with a crying child a couple of loaves of bread and a pocket pouch full of silver shekels. She remembered the tears of gratitude that streamed down the Trojan mother''s face as she thanked Naem and the smile on his face that he usually kept hidden.

    ¡°I wonder if he even knows how much money that was that he gave her?¡± she asked herself, her smile slowly softening as her mind flooded with more memories of Naem.

    She started digging into the folds of her clothes, trying not to elbow anybody as they passed by her. It didn¡¯t take her long to find the relic she was after. Pulling her socked hand out from under the fur shawl, she peeked open her bare fingers just enough to see the large silver coin that took up most of the space in her palm.

    Her smile returned. ¡°Though, he''s never really been one to care.¡±

    She read the words Silver Talent engraved around the outer edge of the coin¡¯s face and then closed her fist again to conceal it. It was hard for her to believe sometimes that something so small could be worth so much. A thousand times more valuable than a silver shekel, this coin alone could feed her and the rest of her family for months. But that fact alone made her feel guilty for keeping it all to herself. There was just something about this coin that made her feel like it was worth more than gold.

    Sakura stuffed the coin back into her clothes and forced herself to pay attention to where she was going. The last thing she wanted was for Relker to jump down her throat again about how dangerous it was to run off alone.

    However, her focus didn¡¯t last too long.

    The sight of several wooden figures on the vendor¡¯s stall up ahead quickly drew her attention. She quickly ran over and leaned across the front of the booth to get a closer look.

    ¡°Wow! They''re all so pretty¡­! And detailed!¡±

    The Trojan man running the booth turned away from his whittling to greet Sakura, but he laughed at the sight of her tail wagging furiously back and forth before he could say anything. He stepped forward, controlling himself as he bent down to rest the palms of his hands on his booth.

    ¡°Why, thank you, little lady. I carved them myself,¡± he said with a proud smile.

    Sakura¡¯s blue eyes beamed, her ears standing high on her head as she looked up at the vendor in awe. ¡°Amazing! You''re really talented.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you get better at something the more you do it,¡± the man said as he stood up straight, taking one of the figures Sakura was marveling over and studying it with pride. ¡°Though, I also believe the Spirits help you in what you''re doing, as long as it¡¯s for them and their best interests.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s smile grew wide as she looked back down at the figures in front of her. ¡°I believe that too.¡±

    Four statues represented the Four Great Spirits, each one resembling one of the four Greater Beast races. Isla, the spirit of water, nurturement, and life, looked like a beautiful Saiyakin woman walking along a river''s edge as she lovingly cradled a baby in her arms.

    Veyrin, the spirit of air, sanctuary, and loyalty, looked like a Vegan man dressed in robes and metal armor as he hovered in the sky with his sword drawn to the side and an enlarged shield held out before him.

    Sylvara, the spirit of earth, abundance, and growth, also resembled a Trojan woman, her pointed ears peeking out around the beautiful long hair that blew in the wind as she walked through a meadow, flowers, shrubs, and vines growing tall behind her.

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    The last of the four figures was Vulcan, the spirit of fire, power, and honor. He resembled a man dressed in armor and cloth, though he bore giant outstretched wings like that of a dragon and held out a ball of fire that was intricately crafted to look as if it was floating above his open palm. He was meant to represent the Rameshians, the fourth race of Greater Beasts that dwelled in the arid south. Though, Sakura had never seen one with her own eyes¡ªonly in books she had read.

    She watched as the Trojan man set back down the fifth figure he was holding in the center of the other four, but it was not nearly as intricate as them. It resembled just a large stone, a little taller than the rest of the figures, with the simple inscription ¡®GOD¡¯ engraved into its front. There were several more lines of wording engraved toward the bottom of the figure, but they were too fine for Sakura to make out. Her best guess was that it was a passage of scripture.

    ¡°You know,¡± the Trojan man started, crossing his arms in front of himself, ¡°you can take one of them home with you. They cost three silver shekels each, but if you wanted to buy the entire set, I would knock them down to two silvers each.¡±

    A gold shekel for all five of them!? Mother and Father would kill me! Sakura thought as she bounced herself off the man¡¯s booth and bowed in respect.

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m sorry. I don''t have any money on me,¡± she said before lifting her head. ¡°Would you mind if I just prayed to them?¡±

    The vendor arched a brow at Sakura¡¯s request, his gnarled fingers tapping a slow rhythm against the wooden countertop. His green eyes, sharp and weathered from years spent haggling in the market, softened slightly as he took in the sincerity on the young Saiyakin¡¯s face. A bitterly cold gust of wind, thick with the scent of roasting meat and fresh bread, passed between them, fluttering the edges of her fur-lined shawl.

    ¡°Pray, huh?¡± he murmured, leaning onto the counter. The candlelight from his stall flickered across his features, casting deep grooves in his tanned skin. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he let out a short chuckle and gestured to the statues. ¡°Go on then, little lady. Just don¡¯t take too long, alright? I don''t want you keeping away potential customers...¡±

    Sakura¡¯s ears perked up with a smile. ¡°Of course! Thank you.¡±

    She clasped her hands together in gratitude before stepping closer to the wooden figures. Standing up straight, she brought her hands close to her chest and bowed her head. The surrounding noise of the marketplace dulled in her ears, drowned beneath the quiet rhythm of her breathing.

    ¡°God, Creator of all things,¡± she began, her voice steady but quiet, ¡°I give thanks for the strength You have given me, for the breath in my lungs, the warmth of my family, and the friends You have given to me.¡±

    She drew in a slow breath, focusing her thoughts and remembering the prayer that had been passed down through many generations of her family. ¡°God, I am but a humble servant of Your will. I don¡¯t ask for my strength but for Your guidance through those You have appointed to aid me. May the Great Spirits, Your devoted servants, act as instruments of Your wisdom. May Isla teach me patience and serenity; may Veyrin grant me clarity and steadfastness; may Sylvara nurture compassion and resilience within me; and may Vulcan instill courage and honor in my heart. Let them not shape me for my own sake, but so that I may serve You better and walk in Your light with purpose and humility¡­¡±

    She remained still for a few lingering moments, absorbing the peace that settled in the wake of her words. Then, raising her head, she bowed once more before looking up at the vendor. ¡°Thank you for letting me pray,¡± she said softly.

    The Trojan man merely grunted, though there was an unmistakable glint of approval in his gaze. ¡°Go on now,¡± he said with a flick of his wrist. ¡°Before the crowd swallows you whole.¡±

    With a grateful nod, Sakura turned, slipping back into the stream of bustling bodies. She needed to find Naem and get back before Relker got too mad.

    The market was growing thicker with the evening rush. Merchants shouted over one another, advertising their products, the mingling scents of spiced meats, sweet treats, and strong perfumes all twisting through the crisp winter air. She maneuvered carefully between the people, keeping her ears perked for any familiar voice or figure. But just as she moved around a cluster of merchants and customers, her shoulder collided with something solid.

    She had walked into something¡ªor rather, someone¡ªunmovable.

    A sharp intake of breath hit her ears, followed by an immediate, irritated scoff. She barely had time to step back before a firm hand gripped her upper arm.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, beast!¡± a cold voice sneered.

    Sakura¡¯s breath locked in her throat as she looked up. A human man stood before her, dressed in finely woven fabrics lined with silver embroidery. His face carried the weight of arrogance and authority, his brown eyes pinning her down like an insect beneath his boot.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry,¡± she said quickly, lowering her gaze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡± His grip tightened. ¡°You creatures have no sense of respect. Walking around here like you belong, brushing against people like me without a second thought.¡±

    Sakura said nothing, keeping her posture submissive, ears flat against the top of her head and her tail tucked between her legs, forcing herself to remain still. The crowd had taken notice¡ªhumans watching with entertained smirks, while the few Greater Beasts present stood in uncomfortable silence. She could see a Saiyakin woman at the edge of the market, clutching her child close, her expression one of conflicted worry.

    The man scoffed, shaking his head. ¡°Filthy animals should know their place.¡±

    Then, without warning, a loud pop rang throughout the area.

    Sakura yelped, mostly in surprise, as the man¡¯s hand struck hard against the side of her face. The sharp, stinging pain that coursed through her cold skin burned enough to bring tears to her eyes. She refused to react any more than she already had. Refused to meet his gaze. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, but she forced herself to steady it.

    Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t show them weakness. It will just get worse if they see you crying... She screamed to herself inside her mind, recalling several past incidents similar to this one all too well.

    ¡°Please, sir. She didn¡¯t mean it. It was just an accident.¡± A small, trembling voice broke through the tension.

    Sakura barely turned her head in time to see the Saiyakin woman step forward hesitantly, her furred ears low against her head. ¡°She apologized. There¡¯s no need for this.¡±

    The humans in the crowd responded with immediate disdain, their jeers cutting through the cold air.

    ¡°Oh, look at this¡ªanother one stepping out of line,¡± one of them laughed.

    ¡°Keep talking, mutt, and you¡¯ll be next.¡±

    The woman froze, then quickly bowed her head and retreated into the shadows of the market like the others.

    The man exhaled sharply as if she¡¯d wasted his time, then shoved Sakura hard enough to send her stumbling back through the street until she fell.

    ¡°Get lost before I decide against letting you go.¡± The man sneered before turning on his heel and disappearing into the sea of people.

    Sakura swallowed down the tightness in her throat, turned, and ran, passing through the crowd that began to stir back to life as if nothing had happened. Her feet eventually slowed as she neared the edge of the city. She sighed shakily, lifting her gaze¡ªjust in time to see a familiar figure slipping into an alleyway.

    Naem! she thought, her chest tightening with relief. She could make out the white of his wings in an instant, even against the snow-covered backdrop that painted the remainder of the city before her.

    ¡°Naem!¡± she called, but he was too far; her voice was swallowed by the chaos around her.

    She pushed forward, her breath growing ragged as she weaved through the thickening crowd, her heart pounding in her chest. She slipped between clusters of merchants and customers, dipping her shoulders to avoid knocking into anyone, her body moving low, carefully, and deliberately before following him into the alley.

    Cutting through several side streets, she ran down an alleyway, getting closer and closer to where she thought he was each time. After sprinting through several more streets, she finally spotted him at the other end of the last alleyway.

    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. His steps were steady¡ªin fact, almost too slow¡ªas if his mind was elsewhere. That was good. That meant she could catch up.

    She cleared the length of the alleyway in little time, sneaky thoughts starting to run through her head the closer she got to him. She recalled all the times before when he had managed to sneak up behind her¡ªsurprisingly good at it¡ªand get the jump on her. This was the perfect opportunity for revenge.

    He would never expect me here, Sakura thought as she took in a breath, nearing closer. Just a little closer...

    Then, suddenly, he stopped.

    Right at the mouth of a narrow alleyway, his figure stilled, his posture stiff as she watched two little Saiyakin kids cut in front of him. But instead of continuing, he just stood there, staring down the street. Something about his stillness sent a chill up her spine.

    Did he notice me? Sakura thought briefly before dismissing the idea. Nah, there¡¯s no way. I was too quiet. He couldn¡¯t have noticed me.

    Sakura adjusted her stance, instincts taking over. She slowed her breathing and carefully placed her footsteps. Just like before. Just like the countless times she had thought of sneaking up behind him and laughing when he¡¯d spin around too late, scolding her for being too quiet.

    Almost there...

    After a moment, Naem sighed, his breath curling into a puff of steam. ¡°I¡¯ll just meet up with them tomorrow.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s body locked up as he turned back toward her. She was still too far away to jump-scare him but too far out in the open to retreat to cover. CRAP!

    She watched as Naem¡¯s eyes widened in shock, his body jolting back with his white wings flaring. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her failed attack before watching his expression settle into something more neutral.

    ¡°Sakura?¡± His gaze flickered over her face, and his expression darkened. ¡°What happened to your face?¡±

    She hesitated, reaching up instinctively to her cheek. She had forgotten to heal herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she lied, the sting on her cheek suddenly returning as if it were still fresh. With a small pulse of magic, the bruise faded away before his eyes.

    ¡°What about you?¡± she continued, gesturing toward the bright purple and nearly black bruises across his face.

    Naem exhaled deeply through his nose, shaking his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s face grew somber as she stood in silence for a moment. ¡°Was it the humans again...?¡±

    She watched Naem¡¯s frown deepen as he looked away, though only with his eyes. That alone was enough of an answer.

    The humans seemed to be the source of most of their pain lately. Still, Sakura felt privileged to live inside the walls of Veltra. She knew that wasn¡¯t something Naem or the rest of her friends could feel at their age, but the terrors she had lived through because of the demons¡ªbefore moving here with the rest of her family¡ªwere not something she could forget.

    It was something she could only share with Relker and her parents. Sakiri had long forgotten those memories five years ago, and Naem would never understand. That was why she never tried to reason with him about the humans.

    ¡°It was that stupid captain,¡± Naem started in a low voice, pulling Sakura out of her thoughts. ¡°There have been some things happening here in the city lately, and as soon as it involves the humans, he has a problem with it. He came trying to put the blame on my father and the rest of us... and I ended up in the middle of it.¡±

    Sakura listened quietly as he spoke until he finished. He did not look like he wanted any words of comfort or reasoning. She had learned from the last time he opened up and talked about what had happened to him that he was not looking for anything in return. He merely wanted an ear to listen, which Sakura always felt she was good at giving to people.

    You are still hurting, though... she thought while studying him for a long moment. The way he held his arm and seemed to favor his left leg over his right, she knew he was still in pain no matter how much he would try to deny it.

    Sakura swallowed deeply before stepping closer, gently reaching out her hands toward his face. ¡°Let me heal you.¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± he said quickly, stepping back away from her. ¡°My sister helped with all the bad bruises. I just want to go play with the others now... it¡¯s already late.¡±

    Sakura frowned but didn¡¯t press too hard. ¡°At least let me take the worst of it away from your face. You know the others will be asking about it and won¡¯t play until they get an answer.¡±

    Naem furrowed his brow. ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±

    ¡°Worst...¡± Sakura said without hesitation. ¡°It looks like you fell into a blackberry bush.¡±

    Naem hesitated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Finally, he sighed. ¡°Fine. But please make it quick.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s expression dropped, her ears drooping.

    ¡°You know I am not that good at Manacalling and the other arts,¡± she said before leading Naem over to a pile of crates off to the side of the street. ¡°So don¡¯t rush me when I¡¯m trying to help you.¡±

    Naem followed her in silence and sat on the crate with her. Crossing her legs, she reached out with both of her hands and held them to either side of his face, hovering close but not touching. She closed her eyes and concentrated, and after a few seconds, the small space between her palms and Naem¡¯s cheeks began to glow with a brilliant green light.

    After a moment of concentration, feeling like she was in control, Sakura opened her eyes and began to move her hands slowly over all the spots that she felt needed healing on Naem. Still trying not to let her mind wander, she could not help but watch the tension slowly leave her friend¡¯s face. His eyes closed as he began to relax back into his spine. She couldn¡¯t hold back her shy smile.

 Chapter 5: The Coming of Darkness

    The healing process was slow, at least for Sakura. She watched as the bruises along Naem''s face slowly began to fade away. Though she could use magic, her abilities were very limited and not particularly effective.

    Several years back, when she and the rest of her family arrived in Veltra, her parents took her, Sakiri, and Relker to one of the hunter''s guilds to test and see what their ranks were.

    There were no accurate mana readers in the northern lands of Sayaka, so Relker''s rank was always guessed before the reading. Both Sakura and Sakiri had just turned seven at that time, the age when an accurate reading of mana could be done. So, despite everything they had gone through shortly before, it was a big moment when they all decided to turn their attention elsewhere.

    Sakura still remembers how shocked everybody was to see that Relker and Sakiri were both the equivalent of B-rank Greater Beasts, whereas Sakura was a mere D-rank Greater Beast. Even so, most were still shocked that such a family from the north, who had fled as refugees, could have two children of B-rank in mana control.

    Especially given that their parents were both C-ranks.

    Sakura had learned from the books that, even though it''s considered random how much mana a Greater Beast''s offspring can control, it''s generally believed that Greater Beasts with a higher level of control over mana produce offspring with higher amounts of mana control as well. Those with lower mana control typically produce offspring with lower mana control.

    Sakura was thought to be the norm as far as what should have been expected with her family, or rather, the expected outcome. But for her parents to produce two children with a mana rating higher than theirs was quite exceptional.

    While the amount of mana Sakura could control never really bothered her, the skills she ended up being born with were ones that she didn¡¯t always favor. They were not ¡°cool¡± skills, like the ability to manipulate water and ice like the rest of her family, as well as several of her Saiyakin friends, or the ability to control and bend the earth beneath her feet like most of her Trojan friends.

    However, she would be lying to herself if she said that hers were not useful at times like this. It¡¯s just that sometimes she wished she could be more effective with her healing power and heal someone faster.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    Sakura''s thoughts blurred as Naem bent down away from her and heaved his leg up onto the crate next to her.

    ¡°I think my face is pretty good right now,¡± he said, looking back up at Sakura. ¡°Do you mind taking care of this for me? It isn¡¯t hurting too bad right now, but I still don¡¯t want to run much on it.¡±

    Sakura smiled before shifting herself around to reach Naem¡¯s leg more easily. ¡°You can ask for help sometimes without needing to look tough, you know.¡±

    Naem sat back against the wall that the crate was set up against and crossed his arms. ¡°If I had a power like yours, I would never need to ask for help.¡±

    ¡°Not true,¡± Sakura said as she began to focus on his leg. The soft glow of green light slowly brightened in the small space between her socked palms and his leg. ¡°Everybody needs help from time to time.¡±

    ¡°With some things, but never for ones like this.¡± Naem contested, his voice low as if embarrassed to admit it. ¡°If I had the healing skill like you, I could train all day and never feel tired or hurt for that matter. And if I had your great memory, I wouldn¡¯t need to constantly study everything that I¡¯m taught... I could train faster and harder than I am now and get further ahead.¡±

    ¡°Having a skill that never lets you forget the past is something that I would not wish on anybody,¡± Sakura said mournfully, her eyes still not leaving his leg as she worked, fearing that if she looked away, she would lose her concentration. ¡°But beyond that, is training all that you think about? We are both still young, you know. I know how it is with your situation, but why not focus on becoming stronger or better than you are once you get older? You''ll be leaving soon to go to that school. Why not try and put in all of your effort then?¡±

    Sakura flattened her ears against the top of her head. ¡°Why not enjoy yourself a little bit more right now while you still can?¡±

    Silence fell between the two of them for a moment. But for Sakura, it felt like minutes passed with every heartbeat. She wanted to break the silence but didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Geez, I wish he''d just say something.

    After a few more heartbeats, Sakura sighed. ¡°You always talk about your brother and sister and how much you want to catch up to them or be like them, but, Naem, they''re too far out of your lead¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the same way,¡± she continued. ¡°I can pray. I can practice as much as I want, and I might be able to use my skills easier with that practice, but I''ll never be as good as Sakiri or Relker, and I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not,¡± Naem said, finally breaking his silence. ¡°You have abilities that you can practice and get better at. I don¡¯t, Sakura. So, I have to get better in the areas that I can control.¡±

    Sakura finally broke her stare and glanced over to see Naem looking down at her hands working on his leg. The yellow irises of his eyes dimly glowed in the darkness, powered by the mana coursing through his being. She always thought the gold of his eyes was something otherworldly, even if they didn¡¯t shine as brightly as the few Vegan soldiers she had seen in her life.

    She returned her focus to her hands, the soft green glow of her magic nearly diminished. She forced her focus onto them again, and the soft green glow slowly started to burn back to life.

    ¡°You have skills, Naem. Every Greater Beast does. The glowing of your eyes proves that. You just haven¡¯t figured out what your abilities are yet,¡± she said softly, feeling a little embarrassed after saying it. ¡°Seriously though, you always worry and act like you''re ten years older than you actually are. Even when playing with the others, you should act a little bit more like your age.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s ears perked up high on her head at the sound of snickering. She looked back at Naem to see him trying to hold back a laugh.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°You''re one to talk, Sakura.¡± He laughed. ¡°You act like everybody''s mother whenever we play as well. Even now.¡±

    Sakura felt a burning in her cheeks, and she looked back down at his leg to try and hide herself.

    ¡°I-I just don''t like it when they play too rough because they get hurt, and then they all come crying to me...¡± She explained, but whenever she looked back down, she noticed that she had lost all focus and the healing mana she was emitting had completely diminished. ¡°Oh, no...¡±

    Before she could close her eyes to try and wield her powers again, Naem drew his leg away and dangled it back off of the crate.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It feels much better now,¡± he said as he kicked it back and forth in the air a couple of times to test and see if there was any pain. He then jumped down to the ground and looked back up at Sakura with an outstretched hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Sakura''s eyes widened, and the heat returned to her cheeks as she looked from Naem''s face up to his hand. After a moment, she took it and let him help her off the crate. She refused to meet his eyes and instead turned her attention to flattening out the wrinkles in her clothes.

    ¡°Alright, we better get back to the others or Relker is going to be very mad at me.¡± She started to walk down the street toward the river at its end but stopped after a couple of paces. Not hearing Naem follow behind her, she looked back to see him fiddling with his clothes before looking back up at her.

    ¡°I forgot to change before coming over here,¡± he said, holding his arms slightly out to the side.

    Ah, she thought, as she looked him up and down. It''s the same type of clothes that he wore whenever he first started playing with us. He probably doesn''t want to get it too dirty or ripped.

    It was only then that Sakura noticed the dirty scuffs all over his uniform and the little tears here and there in its fabric.

    Nah, that can''t be it. She narrowed her eyes as she looked over Naem again, almost as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.

    She ran a couple more possibilities through her head but lost interest fairly quickly. ¡°What''s wrong with it?¡±

    She watched Naem hold out his arms a little bit longer and raise an eyebrow, as if showing her that the answer was obvious, but he didn''t give her much time to think about it.

    ¡°This is what I used to wear whenever I first started coming. I thought it offended you all,¡± Naem explained.

    Sakura''s bright blue eyes narrowed further in confusion as she turned further around to face Naem. ¡°Offended us, how?¡±

    She visibly saw Naem swallow, as it looked like he was trying to figure out the best words to say.

    ¡°Well, um, doesn''t it make me look like those rich human snobs?¡± he asked.

    Sakura instantly thought back to the man who slapped her in the street, and all the expensive clothing and jewelry that he wore. However, in her opinion, the man dressed as if he were boasting about his wealth and hierarchy, whereas Naem wore clothes that honored his household.

    He looked nothing like a human to her.

    The clothes that he wore were no different from the ones that she wore¡ªrough and stiff cloth stitched together to form a very bland outfit of light blue and white, along with the fur skins she wore as a shawl and that made her boots. The only piece of clothing that she wore that she thought felt expensive, at the very least, were the blue fingerless stockings that she and every Saiyakin native wore.

    Made from special materials that made them feel like they gripped her arms all the way up to the base of her shoulders like a second skin, but left her fingers bare so that she could use them freely. The arm stockings were as important to her as wearing undergarments, but it only felt that way to the Saiyakins.

    What difference were the clothes that Naem wore compared to hers? They were a part of his culture and family.

    Sakura looked up to the darkening sky as a couple of the brightest stars started to shine dimly, taking note of the time.

    ¡°Everybody knows that you''re rich, Naem. All vegans are rich. How else would they afford all of their armor?¡± she said before looking back down at Naem and then turning to walk down the street. ¡°Come on. And if anybody says anything, I''ll knock them in the head.¡±

    After a couple of steps, Sakura heard Naem start to run up behind her to catch up, and they walked in silence until the end of the street. It didn¡¯t take them long to round the corner at the end of the street and come out onto the stone-covered riverbank, where the rest of the group played, a little bit further upstream.

    ¡°Sakura!¡± Relker said frustratedly after looking up to see her and Naem walking down the riverbank. ¡°What did mother and father tell you about running off like that?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, brother,¡± Sakura apologized, stopping as Relker limped over to meet them halfway. She hung her head low with flattened ears, and Naem stopped a couple of paces behind her.

    ¡°You could seriously get hurt. You¡¯ve been told that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, brother,¡± Sakura agreed, keeping her head hung low as she stared at Relker''s boots. A moment passed before she heard her brother exhale a deep breath and then turn away from her, back toward the group.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he said, looking back at her. ¡°You all can play one more game, given Naem showed up, but then we need to start heading back.¡±

    Sakura''s ears perked up before she raised her eyes, a smile beaming on her face.

    ¡°Why did you run off?¡± Naem asked as he walked up beside her, though that question prompted Sakura to flatten her ears again in frustration.

    ¡°They made me mad,¡± she said plainly before the two of them began to follow behind Relker.

    ¡°Ah... I could see that being the case,¡± Naem agreed before they looked up to see several of their friends finally turn around and notice they were coming. Sakiri was the first one to run over.

    ¡°Naem, you actually came?¡± she asked as she ran toward them, signaling to all the others of their presence.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± Naem said as the rest of the group ran up to meet them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t leave any sooner.¡±

    Sakaya laughed as she drew closer. ¡°Did Sakura go and drag you out by the wings, Naem?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sakura snapped back, visibly frustrated.

    Naem just laughed awkwardly as he scratched the back of his ear. ¡°No, no. She didn¡¯t do that. I was able to finally get away myself, and she met up with me in the street.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it was, it must have been important,¡± Dillion said as the Trojan boy stepped to the front of the group and looked Naem up and down. ¡°I nearly forgot you had those clothes¡ª¡±

    ¡°You all have until the sun sets,¡± Relker called out before anybody else could say anything further, as he sat back down on his crate off to the side.

    Sakura watched as he leaned back against the wall. His piercing blue eyes vanished into the darkness as if he were trying to relax, but his ears, pointing in the direction of the group, told her that he was listening to everything, and that his interjection was deliberate. Aside from the times he would intentionally annoy her, she knew that her brother was always looking out for them all, and she appreciated that.

    ¡°So,¡± Sakaya started, drawing everybody''s attention back to her. ¡°What should we play now?¡±

    ¡°Well, given that Naem¡¯s here, we could probably play Prophets,¡± Sakiri suggested.

    ¡°We played Prophets yesterday,¡± Dillion added, his voice filled with dread. ¡°I still want to play Demons and Warriors.¡±

    Several of the other Saiyakin and Trojan children nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Yeah, we haven¡¯t played that one in a while,¡± Sakaya added.

    ¡°No,¡± Sakiri sighed. ¡°Sakura doesn¡¯t want to play that game. And Relker said we need to play something we all want to.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be the demon,¡± Sakura said.

    ¡°If everybody wants to play Demons and Warriors, I can be the demon,¡± Naem said, raising his hand as if he knew the answer to a lecture question that Veyra was teaching him.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You being the demon is a little bit of a cheat, though,¡± Seiker said, drawing everybody¡¯s attention over to the Saiyakin boy. ¡°The last time you were the demon, you flew a lot. We can¡¯t catch you if you¡¯re flying.¡±

    ¡°It was out of habit,¡± Naem admitted. ¡°I told you all that, and I said I was sorry... I¡¯ll make sure to stay grounded this time.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Sakaya started as she thought over the idea. ¡°I guess that would work as long as you promise not to fly. You can only run.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Dillion agreed, as did Seiker.

    ¡°All right, no problem,¡± Naem started before getting a sharp elbow in his side. He looked over at Sakura beside him; the look she was giving him said everything that needed to be said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Naem didn¡¯t give Sakura much time to object before he bolted off down the riverbank, past the children.

    ¡°Remember the rules!¡± Relker hollered out to the children, not bothering to open his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t go past the buildings at the two ends. If you go in the water, that¡¯s your own fault. And no more using your skills. It¡¯s past curfew.¡±

    ¡°Aww, come on!¡± Most everyone said in unison as they looked up to the sky, seeing that it was mostly black.

    ¡°No Beast is permitted to use magic after dark,¡± Relker added, quoting a rule they had all heard many times before. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be grilled by any officers tonight. So, if any of you want to use magic, just go ahead and go home...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re good!¡± all the children said in near unison again.

    Sakura and the rest of the children stood anxiously as Sakiri counted down from ten to give Naem the appropriate head start.

    ¡°Three Trojans, two Trojans, one Trojan!¡± she yelled out before all the kids took off after Naem, already down towards the end of the boundary.

    ¡°Kill the demon!¡± Seiker yelled out as he played his role as warrior.

    All the other kids roared out as they spread across the entire width of the riverbank, trying not to give Naem too many openings for escape.

    Sakura always hated it when they did this to her, though she couldn¡¯t help but join in with all the others as well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him touch your head!¡± Sakaya called out to the group as they all got closer to Naem, who was already preparing for an escape.

    Sakura watched as Naem bounced his golden eyes rapidly between all the kids drawing closer to him, his cheeky grin growing bigger as they got closer and closer. She looked to her right to see Seiker, Dillion, and two other Trojan boys powering ahead of the group toward Naem. Those four were the ones that she saw Naem singling out.

    He''s going to get past them, she thought as she slowed her pace and lingered towards the back of the group. Everybody''s getting closer together. We aren''t as spread out as we''re supposed to be.

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Seiker called out right before Naem drew out his wings, lowered himself into a deep crouch, and then pushed with everything he had. He jumped up and spun through the air as Seiker and one of the other Trojan boys threw themselves where he had been standing.

    Naem reached out and tapped both of them on the top of their heads as he flipped over them, landing back in a crouched position on the other side. ¡°Out!¡±

    Sakura watched as Naem gave another big thrust of his wings, sending him flying backward and out of reach from Dillion and the other boy, who had attempted to touch him after he landed.

    ¡°He''s getting away!¡± Dillion yelled after he and the other Trojan boy collided and fell to the ground, desperately trying to find their footing again.

    ¡°Not if I can help it!¡± Sakiri called as she pounced toward Naem, who was flying back toward her. However, Naem saw it coming.

    He looked up at her and twisted his body through the air, maneuvering just out of reach of Sakiri¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± she complained after falling onto the stones of the riverbank. ¡°I had him!¡±

    Sakura kept herself ready as the rear guard, waiting for Naem to run back toward her. She watched as Naem effortlessly danced around all the kids, who threw themselves at him one after another in an attempt to touch his head. His body moved in ways that almost seemed unnatural, and all the while, his laughter seemed to make the children even more determined to catch him.

    One by one, she watched as Naem tapped the backs of the children¡¯s heads, until it was just down to her, Sakiri, Sakaya, Dillion, and three other Saiyakin kids. He had already eliminated half the group.

    ¡°Come on...! I think it was easier to catch him when he flew!¡± Dillion complained between breaths as he stood off to the side, out of breath.

    ¡°Suck it up, Dillion,¡± Sakaya snapped after another failed attempt to catch Naem. ¡°There''s no way you should be winded yet.¡±

    As if on cue, the remaining Warriors still standing spread out to keep away from Naem''s reach, huffing poofs of steam from their mouths as they caught their breath. Meanwhile, Naem hopped from foot to foot to stay warm and loose inside the circle they created around him.

    ¡°Come on, guys! You can do it!¡± Seiker called out from the sidelines. ¡°You all better not let him get you too quickly. I don''t want to go home just yet!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Dillion hollered. ¡°You''re one to talk!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Seiker! You were the first one out!¡± Sakaya added, prompting all the children to burst out laughing, except for Seiker, who scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

    ¡°Well, perhaps,¡± he agreed. ¡°I guess if Sakura continues to hide in the back, the game might last a little longer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m standing guard to make sure he doesn¡¯t run back. If he gets out in the open, none of us will catch him,¡± Sakura explained, visibly readying herself further to anticipate Naem''s next move.

    ¡°All of you filthy warriors think you can stop me?¡± Naem said, stretching out his wings, trying to make his voice as deep and intimidating as possible to fit his character. ¡°You¡¯re no match for my strength and speed!¡±

    All the children readied themselves again.

    ¡°No demon has power over us!¡± Dillion announced, playing along with Naem.

    And with that, all the remaining kids threw themselves at Naem for a second round. However, he was just as elusive as before, staying just outside of everyone¡¯s reach¡ªalmost as if mocking them.

    Soon, one by one, they fell, eliminated from the game by Naem''s touch.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Sakaya yelled in frustration as Naem tagged her after she fell.

    ¡°We''re going to lose!¡± Dillion said as he quickly threw himself at Naem to grab his wing and pin him down. However, Naem swiftly pulled himself out of Dillion''s grasp and tagged him on the back of the head as he hit the ground.

    ¡°Dillion, you moron!¡± Sakiri growled, annoyed. Now, it was just her and Naem circling each other, with Sakura lurking in the background.

    Sakiri nervously circled Naem, trying to find any hint of weakness or hesitation in his steps, looking for something that would give her the upper hand.

    ¡°Sakura! It would be helpful if you could come up here and¡ª¡± Her words were cut short as Naem shot toward her with a powerful thrust of his white wings.

    ¡°EEK!¡± Sakiri yelped as she threw herself to the ground to avoid Naem striking her out, then quickly got back on her feet and bolted in the opposite direction. She looked back to see Naem''s golden eyes piercing the ever-growing darkness, his outstretched hand just behind her.

    Naem was now on the attack.

    Sakura watched as Sakiri gave it everything she had to avoid being tagged by Naem. Her movements fluctuated between deliberate and accidental stumbles of luck.

    If she can just try and tire him out a little bit more, I should be able to catch him, Sakura thought as the other children on the sidelines cried out in praise and encouragement, pushing Sakiri further forward.

    ¡°Look out!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got this, Sakiri!¡±

    ¡°Get away from him!¡±

    ¡°Build your distance! Build your distance!¡±

    However, the amount of praise and encouragement she received couldn¡¯t do anything against the slippery stones, which caused her to lose her footing one last time.

    ¡°Dang it!¡± she called out as Naem¡¯s hand tapped the back of her head.

    ¡°Out!¡± he announced.

    Now! Sakura thought, bolting forward toward Naem. She leaped and threw herself into the air, reaching out her socked hand as far as she could to try and touch the back of his head.

    As long as I can stay close to him, I should be fine, she thought as Naem threw himself just outside her grasp¡ªsomething she had anticipated.

    All the others got tagged after he put some distance between them, staying just inside of arm''s reach. I need to stay as close as possible to him she thought, fighting desperately to get behind Naem and keep from being touched¡ªconstantly bouncing in and out of arm''s reach. And whenever they tried to get further away from him, he ended up catching them in their retreat. So, as long as I stay as close as possible to him and work my way around, I should be able to win.

    Sakura reacted quickly to each of Naem''s movements, even if they weren¡¯t as graceful as his. She made sure not to let him get behind her. Every offensive move she made on him had to be followed by a defensive one. She often stumbled to the ground because of the wet stones on the riverbank.

    Sakiri and the others watched as Sakura and Naem danced furiously on the riverbank, each one trying to gain the upper hand and tag the other.

    ¡°She¡¯s lasting longer than I thought she would,¡± Seiker said as all the children watched in anticipation.

    ¡°Are you kidding? Sakura¡¯s the best at this game,¡± Sakiri said as she brushed the snow off her knees. ¡°That¡¯s why we always make her the demon, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dillion agreed, ¡°She isn¡¯t as hard to catch as Naem, but she¡¯s a close second for sure.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Seiker asked the group.

    ¡°Between the two of them, Naem is using his wings to keep himself from falling as much,¡± Sakaya noted, drawing all the kids'' focus to Naem and how he would occasionally give himself a large thrust of his wings, keeping him upright as he slipped on the stones. ¡°That keeps him off the ground where the rest of us fell... Sakura is no different.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sakiri added. ¡°Though, Sis is a lot better at moving on the ground than the rest of us. That¡¯s usually how she ends up tagging us out. She¡¯s also quick to get back up onto her feet as well.¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Dillion nodded his head inquisitively. ¡°Yeah. If she can pin him to the ground, there¡¯s no way Naem would be able to get back up. And if that happens, the game is ours.¡±

    Sakura gave it everything she had to try and pin Naem down to the ground, but though he might slip up, he would never fall.

    She laughed as she clung to the back of his robes, trying to gather her feet under her and stay just outside of his reach to keep him from touching her head.

    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have done this good of a job healing you.¡±

    ¡°Aw, come on, that¡¯s no fair!¡± Naem laughed as well, trying to twist himself around and touch her head. However, she avoided his touch as she desperately craned her neck from side to side.

    I can''t keep this up much longer... she thought before finally gathering her feet under herself. With one last attempt, she heaved herself up as strongly as she could, reaching out with one hand for the back of Naem¡¯s head as she used her other hand and the rest of her body to hold him still as best she could.

    Got him! she thought, before grabbing the black tuft of hair he had drawn up into a top knot.

    ¡°Out!¡± Naem and Sakura both called out as they each grabbed hold of the other¡¯s hair. Their bodies twisted around each other like two snakes competing for dominance.

    All the children fell silent for a moment as they looked amongst themselves, questioning who had won the game. However, it was Naem and Sakura who broke out laughing as they let go of each other, both seeming to accept defeat.

    ¡°Well...?¡± Dillion asked loudly, looking over at the two of them. ¡°Who was out first?¡±

    Sakura honestly didn¡¯t know herself. She hadn¡¯t even realized she had been touched until both she and Naem called out. Whether it was her or Naem who eliminated the other first, it was too close for her to call.

    She looked over at Naem to see that his face was just as doubtful as hers.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked anyway, but Naem simply shrugged.

    ¡°I think it was a tie,¡± he said, reaching up to fix the loose strands of hair that Sakura¡¯s nails had pulled from his top knot.

    ¡°We can¡¯t have ties in this game,¡± Sakaya started.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s always one person who walks away from a battle...¡± Sakiri added, before all the kids turned to Relker, as if he were the referee of the match.

    ¡°Brother~, who won the match~?¡± Sakiri called out, her voice stretching the words as if she were pleading for an answer.

    ¡°Whoever told you that there are always people who return from a battle?¡± Relker asked, not bothering to straighten his relaxed posture or open his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s never certain that somebody will walk away from a battle or a duel. It¡¯s more common than you think for them both to kill each other.¡±

    ¡°Since when!?¡± Sakiri complained.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard a story where everyone was killed in a battle,¡± Seiker said, which prompted Relker to open his eyes.

    ¡°Do you think dead men tell stories...?¡± he asked. ¡°There are plenty of instances, actually. But let me give you this example: If two great armies ended up killing each other down to the last man on each side, and both of those men fought until they physically could fight no more, then in a last attempt, they both give one final blow to the other. They leave themselves open to be cut, but they know their strike will land. Do you think both of those men would walk away from that?¡±

    Sakaya shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. Possibly.¡±

    ¡°Even if both men brought their axes down through the tops of their opponents'' heads?¡± Relker replied as he heaved himself off the crate and looked toward Naem and Sakura. ¡°Because that looks very similar to what I¡¯ve seen there.¡±

    ¡°Even if one of them did touch the other first, the other was shortly behind him. That made it too close to call,¡± he continued, before looking back at the group of kids. ¡°Even a falling axe from a dead man can kill his opponent.¡±

    All the kids looked at each other in confusion.

    ¡°So, I guess we both won?¡± Sakiri asked the group, which prompted many shrugs.

    ¡°I guess...¡± Dillion said, but Relker only sighed deeply off to the side.

    ¡°Yeah, because dead men win battles...¡± he said, almost mocking the kids, as he turned away and started walking down the riverbank. ¡°Anyway, the game''s over. Let''s start heading back.¡±

    ¡°Aw, come on! So, we both lost?¡± Dillion complained.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Naem replied as the group of kids began to come together and follow behind Relker.

    ¡°Man, that would have been a good game if there was actually a winner,¡± Seiker added.

    ¡°Oh well, we can continue tomorrow,¡± Sakaya said as she shoved her hands into the folds of her clothes. ¡°It''s getting too cold for me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Is that your excuse for losing?¡± Sakiri laughed.

    ¡°No, I blame the rocks for that!¡± Sakaya fired back affirmatively. Most of the other kids agreed with her, making the stones their excuse for losing.

    Sakura smiled as all her friends laughed amongst themselves. ¡°It was good fun not beating the demon for once.¡±

    ¡°I think it was just good fun altogether,¡± Naem added before starting to jog toward the front of the group. ¡°Anyway, thanks, everybody. I need to get back before it gets too dark.¡±

    All the kids said their goodbyes to Naem as he spread his wings and sent himself straight up into the air with one powerful thrust. However, everybody stopped dead in their tracks and fell silent as the sound of horns blew in the distance behind them¡ªringing out across the kingdom.

    Sakura, Sakiri, Relker, and all the other kids looked to the east, towards the sound of horns, which were soon followed by the sound of bells.

    ¡°Are we being attacked?¡± Sakiri asked, all the kids looking back to Relker as if he knew all the answers. Though Sakura could see past his calm demeanor and notice that her brother was nervous.

    ¡°Those horns are coming from the outer wall,¡± he explained. ¡°Worst case, there might have been a couple of demons that got through the gate or something. They won''t get through the middle wall. This is probably just a warning for all the middle gates to be shut.¡±

    Relker turned and looked up into the sky behind him at Naem, who hovered in one spot, looking westward towards the sounds of the horns, like the rest of them.

    ¡°Either way, Naem, I doubt you''ll be able to get through the middle gate now,¡± he hollered up. ¡°It''d be best if you stayed here with us.¡±

    ¡°There was a breach!?¡±

    ¡°Demons got into the walls!?¡± Several of the kids began to murmur amongst themselves. Their whispers slowly began to be drowned out by Sakura''s heartbeat pounding in her ears.

    They can''t get here. They can''t get in the middle ring. The Vegans won''t let them get here... she thought in a panic to herself as she began to recall the events in Sayaka that led her family to take refuge here in Veltra several years ago. It would only have been a couple that got past... The walls are thick. They couldn''t have broken through them. The demons are not that strong...

    Right then, the alarming horns began to spread, growing louder and louder. Now, it was not only coming from the direction of the east gate, but also from the north and south gates. The bells also grew louder, as well as the chaos that started to erupt in the heart of the city.

    All of the kids began to panic amongst themselves in fear, and that only furthered Sakura''s anxiety. Her body grew cold and numb as her heart began to race, and her mind started to lose focus on what she should do. ¡°Relker...¡± She pleaded, though her voice was only heard by herself. ¡°This can''t be happening. The demons can''t be coming...!¡±

    Sakiri threw her arms around Sakura, her hands trembling as well, but the touch of her sister helped calm Sakura''s anxiety a little.

    ¡°We gotta get to our homes now,¡± Relker said before he limped over, taking both Sakura and Sakiri''s hands and beginning to drag them behind him. ¡°Everybody, stay close behind me!¡±

    He looked back up into the sky toward Naem. ¡°Naem, get down here!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to fly up a little higher and see if I can see anything.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point! You¡¯ll have to look over the rest of the middle ring and inner ring before you can see anything toward the east gate!¡± Relker called back, but Naem did not heed his words and took off higher into the sky.

    ¡°Damn it...!¡± Relker cursed to himself.

    Naem thrust his wings behind him repeatedly, squinting his eyes against the cold as he flew much higher than the middle wall, rising above the city. He came to a point that he thought was high enough and looked out across the rest of the eastern district of the middle ring and across the top of the towering houses of Veltra''s nobility, who resided throughout the center ring. However, the ever-growing darkness of night kept him from seeing much further.

    Signal fires, lit by the Vegan soldiers in intervals along the top of the outer and middle rings, could be seen against the night. The only other thing that seemed to give life to the darkness was the largest moon, Koshua, hanging low against the horizon in the east.

    ¡°I don''t see how any demons could be here,¡± he muttered to himself before looking around at the signal fires being lit along all the walls to the east.

    ¡°Varin is over the outer walls near the east gate. Natalik has the north and west gates. And Mabel has the south,¡± Naem said to himself, noting the three areas on the outer wall his oldest brothers were in charge of. ¡°What happened with Varn''s men?¡±

    Naem forced his eyes to try and see further into the darkness, but it was pointless. It was too dark.

    He let out a sigh. But just before he was about to turn back and join Relker and the others, the sight of the moon slowly being consumed by the darkness caught his attention. The darkness was too thick to have been a cloud, but just as Naem was about to try and look closer, all the signal fires that lined the westward walls shot up into the air in unison. They arced toward the darkness that was consuming the moon.

    ¡°Catapults!?¡± Naem said to himself in surprise, but what he¡¯d seen sent a chill through him.

    All the fireballs flew through a horde of winged beasts that were far closer than the darkness they created led him to believe. Numbers at an unimaginable scale began to engulf the entire western night sky. And then...

    The screams came.

 Chapter 6: The Price of Defiance

    Veyra shied away from the window as the loud cracking sound of a whip continued to ring out, each pop followed by an agonizing scream. She could not bear to watch anymore and stepped back against the wall beside the window.

    Forcing her eyes shut, she tried not to envision every strike or hear each scream that came after them. Though, the sounds continued to grow louder, soon becoming too much for her to ignore.

    ¡°This is madness...¡± she said angrily, giving up and storming down the hall she had been standing in.

    ¡°My Lady, would it not be best for you to¡ª¡±

    ¡°This has gone on long enough, Natalyn!¡± Veyra argued, turning back toward her maid, who followed closely behind her. The Vegan woman walked with her back straight and deep brown wings folded tightly behind her, making her look smaller than she actually was.

    Veyra led the way through the estate, turning down several different corridors until she reached a large pair of doors. The guards stationed on either side did not break her stride. Waiting until the last moment, they quickly stepped toward each other and pulled open the doors to let her and Natalyn pass through, stepping out into the bitterly cold air outside.

    ¡°Enough of this!¡± Veyra demanded as the guards behind the women shut the door.

    The two Vegan guards in the middle of the courtyard, still holding whips, looked back at Veyra and Natalyn, then knelt, bowing their heads with their right hands drawn up to their breastplates, still clutching the blood-soaked whips at their sides.

    Veyra looked past the guards to see Vlad. He sat on his knees in the middle of the courtyard, leaning far enough forward that he could grip the stones that paved it. His large, tawny brown wings flared out to the side, exposing his back, marred with deep cuts. Blood streamed down his sides and along the base of his wings, connecting near his shoulder blades. The sight turned Natalyn¡¯s stomach, causing her to look away as she and Veyra stood in silence for a moment.

    Veyra took in all the damage done to him, before noticing Naem finally raise his head. However, he did not look in her direction.

    ¡°Why did you stop them, Veyra?¡± he asked, his tone stoic but hoarse, riddled with pain.

    Veyra clenched her fists.

    ¡°This is absurd...¡± she muttered before looking back down at the guards, who still knelt with their heads bowed to her. ¡°Must you continue? I believe this is beyond sufficient.¡±

    ¡°I personally believe so as well, My Lady,¡± the guard on the left said, raising his head to meet her gaze. ¡°However, our orders were to give him one hundred and thirty lashings.¡±

    ¡°By the Spirits...¡± Natalyn whispered to herself in disbelief.

    ¡°One hundred and thirty!?¡± Veyra asked, aghast.

    ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡±

    ¡°How many does he have left? And why one hundred and thirty!?¡±

    The guard on the left hesitated for a moment, leaving the other one to speak up before him.

    ¡°Sir Vlad has received seventy-eight lashings, Lady Veyra. We were given strict orders to make sure he receives the full number of lashings...¡±

    Shocked, Veyra looked past them again to Vlad.

    There''s no reason for him to be receiving this severe of a punishment... she thought to herself as she watched Naem breathe slowly but heavily.

    ¡°Stop this for now,¡± she said to the guards. ¡°I''m going to go talk to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Veyra...¡± Naem cut in, his head dropping back down again. ¡°No more. Just leave so we can get this over with.¡±

    ¡°But if I can get him to stop at eighty, then¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said no!¡± Naem yelled back, his hoarse voice cracking slightly. ¡°He will just add to it... Now leave!¡±

    Veyra clenched her teeth, not moving but also not saying anything further. However, the guards did not stand to their feet in her presence.

    ¡°My lady, we should just...¡±

    ¡°Guards!¡± Naem barked again, prompting the doors to the estate behind Veyra and Natalyn to open. She looked back to see the two guards on the inside step out and move toward her, positioning themselves before her and the kneeling guards.

    ¡°Lady Veyra, this way.¡± One of the guards said, extending his hand toward the door behind her. Veyra clicked her tongue in frustration before looking back at Vlad.

    ¡°Come to your room when you are done. I will be waiting for you there.¡± She said, finally turning back toward the doors and walking toward them¡ªNatalyn and the guards following behind her.

    ¡°I''m sorry, sir,¡± she heard one of the other guards whisper down to Vlad.

    ¡°Just continue with it,¡± she heard her brother say before the deep groan of the wooden doors drowned out the rest behind her. Though, even after they slammed shut, they could not keep out Naem¡¯s screams.

    Veyra stormed furiously down the short aisleway in front of her, trying to get far enough away so that she did not have to listen to any more of her brother¡¯s screams. She turned to the right to head back toward her room in the direction she had come from. Lost in her anger, she didn¡¯t see her father standing just around the corner until she nearly plowed into him.

    She jumped back in surprise, catching Natalyn off guard as well, before she bowed and moved several steps back. Veyra stood up straight again, her head bowed, though the look of anger was hard for her to dismiss so easily.

    ¡°Father...¡± she said in a greeting manner, though her voice was distant.

    ¡°You are not to deal with Vlad in any way after this,¡± Valric demanded, his voice low and deliberate.

    Veyra widened her eyes. She quickly looked up to meet her father''s gaze, which was peering down at her.

    ¡°Why, Father!? One hundred and thirty lashings is madness! And for what!? He kept our house from¡ª¡± Veyra was suddenly stopped as her father''s hand slapped the side of her face with a loud pop that echoed throughout the corridors. The force of his hand pushed her head to the side and made her stumble back a little. She instinctively shifted her wings around to gather her balance.

    She stood there, recovering herself, letting the pain in the side of her face and ear linger for a moment before she willed herself to channel mana into the spot and take it away. She did not bother to look back up at her father as he stepped closer to her.

    ¡°He stood up against me and against the name of our house. One hundred lashings is my mercy upon him,¡± he growled before reaching out and grabbing the underside of Veyra''s jaw tightly, yanking it up so she was forced to look into his golden eyes. ¡°And as for you, being my daughter means you are property of this house. If I allow somebody to take my property, so be it...!¡±

    Veyra¡¯s heart dropped as she continued to look into her father¡¯s eyes, his grip on her face tightening with every word he spoke. ¡°You are not one to object or care about your outcome. Whatever happens to you, you should consider it a privilege to have been of service to this family.¡±

    Valric shoved Veyra forcefully away from him, his hand connecting with her throat, causing her to cough uncontrollably as she stumbled.

    ¡°Naem should be getting the same right now, but I guess what was done to him was an adequate lesson. Maybe that will teach him a little about minding his own business and not that of others.¡± Valric continued, gathering his composure a little more physically, but his voice still as stern as ever.

    Veyra gathered herself before looking back up at her father, seeing the sternness etched on his face.

    ¡°You should be thanking your brother,¡± he started again, his tone shifting from rage to something more calculated. ¡°Not only did he save you from whatever the humans had in store, but he also saved you from punishment.¡±

    Veyra''s frown shifted from one forced by anger to one that reflected more worry. ¡°What do you mean...?¡±

    ¡°On top of his one hundred lashings, he also asked for the ten that I was going to order for Naem, and the twenty that I was going to order for you for being defiant against the house.¡±

    ¡°No...¡± Veyra said as she stepped back from her father, shaking her head. ¡°Why!? One hundred lashings have already destroyed him; one hundred and thirty could kill him!¡±

    ¡°Then he dug his own grave,¡± Valric said before starting to walk forward, continuing on his way, leaving Veyra standing in her place, shocked.

    No, no. I have to do something... I have to do something! she thought as her father passed by her. She bit her tongue, then fell to her knees, pressing her face to the floor with her tawny brown wings slightly flared to the sides, submissively.

    ¡°Father, please... Please let me heal him, even if it''s only a little bit. He is suffering the pain of his sins against you, as well as mine and Naem''s. Is the pain he is feeling right now not enough of a punishment?¡± she asked, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

    This is the least that I could do... she thought to herself as she waited for what felt like hours for her father to think and finally make up his mind. She heard his footsteps shift, but she did not look up toward him. She knew that if she stayed submissive like this, he would be more willing to accept her plea... or at least, that¡¯s what she hoped for.

    ¡°Fine...¡± Valric finally said, causing Veyra to look up toward him. ¡°You can heal him. I''ll tell the guards to increase his lashings to one hundred and fifty. Ten more lashings for you to heal him for Naem¡¯s sake, and ten more lashings for you to heal him for your sake.¡±

    Veyra¡¯s tears finally broke free and streamed down her cheeks, though she did not allow herself to react any further. She bowed her face to the floor again, hiding herself from her father.

    ¡°Yes, Father... Thank you, Father...¡± Veyra sat there in the hall until she could no longer hear her father¡¯s footsteps echoing throughout it. After she felt he was gone, she stood up and continued back toward her room.

    ¡°Are you alright, My Lady...?¡± Natalyn asked worriedly, hastening her pace to catch up to Veyra, but received no response.

    Veyra could not hold back her tears, no matter how many times she tried to brush them away with the sleeves of her attire.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°God, forgive me,¡± she cried to herself.

    It did not take the two of them long to make it back to her room. Veyra slid open the doors and began rummaging through it, leaving her maid to wait outside.

    ¡°Natalyn, go and draw a bowl of warm water, and bring some cloth back to Vlad''s room,¡± Veyra said, finally breaking the silence between them.

    ¡°Yes, My Lady,¡± Natalyn replied before turning away from Veyra¡¯s room and hurriedly running off to do as her master had commanded.

    After a moment, Veyra found all the materials she was looking for: a wooden dowel, two rolls of bandages, and a couple of vials of oil that she had placed high up on a shelf.

    She turned back and slid the door to her room closed before continuing down the corridor a little further to Vlad''s room. She slid open his door and entered, respectfully. She took the materials she had gathered and laid them out on the table against his left wall, brushing aside a couple of the papers on it to make room.

    She could no longer hear his screams or the cracking of the whip. Though, she did not know if that was because she was deeper into the estate, where the sound could not reach her, or if he was finally done. Either way, she prepared the room as quickly as she could to make sure it was completely ready for him by the time he arrived.

    She stood back and scanned the room to make sure she had done everything that was needed.

    ¡°I got the bandages, the oils... Natalyn''s bringing the water and cloth, the stools are ready...¡± she murmured to herself as she listed all the things she had prepared.

    She was ready.

    There was nothing more she could do other than wait for Natalyn to return with the bowl of water and cloth, and then for Vlad, all the while hoping that they came in that order. She paced back and forth as anxiousness began to take control of her.

    Where''s Natalyn with that water? she thought before clamping her eyes shut to try and focus on other things.

    She opened her eyes and began to look around, noting the couple of hand-drawn portraits on paper that Vlad had hanging on his walls. Most of them were from their time at the Vegan Academy, and all depicted him with one or more of his friends. She was in a couple of them, as well as a few professors.

    ¡°My Lady...?¡± Natalyn called from the other side of the paper doors, drawing Veyra''s attention quickly. She rushed over and slid open the door for her maid.

    She looked down to see the large basin of water that Natalyn had drawn, so big that she had to carry it in front of her with both hands, along with several rolls of cloth towels she carried in the crook of her arm.

    ¡°Good,¡± Veyra said, pointing toward the table behind her. ¡°Put them there and then stay and help me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lady,¡± Natalyn replied with a quick bow before hurrying over to rest the basin of water on the table, dropping her shoulders with a sigh as she took a moment to rest.

    Veyra stepped over and heaved the basin to the part of the desk she wanted. She then took the towels from Natalyn and stacked them neatly off to the side.

    ¡°My Lady, if you don¡¯t mind me asking...¡± Natalyn started as she stood back and watched Veyra work with the materials around the table. ¡°Why do you need all this stuff? Can you not heal him by yourself? You are of the B-Ranking... You should be more than capable of working without needing any assistance from modern medicine.¡±

    ¡°I can heal him just fine,¡± Veyra said as she stacked the last roll where she wanted it, then scanned the rest of the room to make sure nothing else had been touched. ¡°But I can only work in certain parts at a time. I need this stuff to help with the areas I can''t reach right away...¡±

    ¡°You saw how bad he was, and he''s only going to come back looking worse,¡± Veyra said, her voice growing distant. ¡°I¡¯d much rather be over-prepared than under.¡±

    Natalyn bowed her head in agreement and then stepped back into the corner of Vlad''s room to stay out of Veyra''s way as she paced back and forth.

    Several minutes passed, with Veyra making many laps back and forth across the length of the room, before she heard the echoing sound of footsteps walking in unison, growing louder from outside. She and Natalyn both walked over and slid open the doors to see the same two guards who had whipped Vlad, both holding him up on either side.

    Veyra glanced quickly as Vlad hung limply between the two men, who were covered in his blood. His arms were draped around both of their necks as they carried him.

    ¡°In here?¡± the guard on the right said, nodding his head into Vlad''s room, past Veyra and Natalyn.

    ¡°Yes, hurry!¡± Veyra said, leading the two men to carry Vlad over and sit him on the stool she had placed in the center of the room.

    Vlad groaned with their movements but otherwise sat up on the stool, his hands resting on his knees.

    ¡°Thank you...¡± Vlad said as the guards stepped back. They hung their heads low, guilt-ridden on their faces.

    ¡°We''re sorry, Sir,¡± the guard on the left said before the one on the right continued.

    ¡°Never have I heard of a punishment worth over one hundred lashings... That is barbaric!¡±

    ¡°It doesn''t matter now,¡± Vlad said, his voice barely above a whisper as he did his best to hold himself upright, watching as Natalyn scrambled to wet the towels in the basin of water.

    Veyra looked over at the two men beside her scornfully, trying to keep her posture as straight as possible. ¡°You two can leave now. Go and wash yourselves.¡±

    The two guards bowed their heads, drawing their right fists up to their breastplates before turning and exiting Vlad''s room, pulling the door shut behind them.

    Veyra looked back down at Vlad, trying to pick out the worst of the damage so she could focus on it first, then work through the rest. But it was harder than she expected.

    The damage was so great and extensive that she could see the column of bone that made up her brother''s spine in more places than one, nearly as clearly as if she had used a scalpel to fillet the skin of his back herself. Pieces of his back hung in chunks, refusing to stop the flow of blood.

    ¡°Rare to see you cry,¡± Vlad noted weakly.

    Veyra looked up to see him glancing back over the tops of his wings. The whites of his eyes, which peered back at her, were completely red, as were the blood-stained tears running down the little bit of his nose she could see.

    Veyra shot her brother an exasperated glance, but he turned away before she could say anything.

    ¡°Please... don''t let me hold you back,¡± he said, shifting his stance to lean forward further, resting his elbows on his legs with his head in his hands. ¡°If you don''t mind...¡±

    ¡°My lady,¡± Natalyn said, rushing over and handing Veyra several wet cloth towels. Veyra took the towels and stretched them out across the upper sections of Vlad¡¯s back and around the base of his wings, which were also cut very badly.

    Vlad let out grunts and stiffened each time Veyra laid a cloth or moved one she had already placed.

    ¡°You need to stay still, or these will fall off,¡± she said, taking a vial of oil from Natalyn and pouring drops onto the broader sections of the cloth.

    ¡°Well, sorry... I''m an inconvenience,¡± Vlad replied between grunts.

    ¡°You''re a moron. That''s what you are,¡± Veyra said angrily as she laid another cloth. This one, she placed a little more forcefully than the rest, causing a reaction from Vlad. He said nothing.

    ¡°Why would you take on more just for our sakes? He wouldn''t have given us lashings. We would have gotten some other form of punishment.¡±

    ¡°Well, originally, it was just going to be one hundred and thirty,¡± Vlad said through his teeth, fighting back the pain.

    ¡°Even still, you trying to be the hero is going to do you no good if you end up dead!¡± Veyra snapped back before she knelt on the ground and began to force her healing mana into her hands at the base of Vlad¡¯s back. The mana ignited into a bright green light in the space between her hands and the cuts she was trying to heal. Moments later, the blood around the cuts stopped pouring out, and they began to knit themselves back together.

    Vlad laughed forcefully, even though it only caused him more pain. ¡°Something as minor as this won''t kill me.¡±

    ¡°You think of yourself as one of the Great Spirits, but you''re not! You¡¯re mortal. You bleed, and you can die just the same as the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°As if I believe I''m one of the Spirits...¡± Vlad said, his voice growing more tired as the pain Veyra was working on began to fade. ¡°The only difference is that I believe the Spirits have more in store for me. I can''t believe that God would allow me to die from being whipped. If such a thing ever happened, I would want people to spit on my grave! Such insults would be acceptable if I put in as much work as I have throughout my life, only for it to end like that...?¡±

    After a moment of taking in everything her brother had said, Veyra let out a deep sigh before pinching a muscle on Vlad''s side, causing him to jerk back.

    ¡°Ack! What was that for?!¡±

    ¡°For talking about your death and how you would want people to insult you afterward...¡± Veyra replied, her voice as stuck-up and proper-sounding as she usually forced it to be. She peeled off one of the cloth towels right above where she had finished working and began to work on the next section.

    ¡°You boys are all the same. You have as much power as you do, and yet you want more. And you think you''re not good enough... Naem gets it, honestly, I swear...¡± Veyra said softly, shaking her head. She could tell her words hit Vlad in some way after he let out a soft sigh and relaxed back onto his elbows.

    The two of them sat in silence after that. Vlad let out a grunt here and there as Veyra peeled the next section of cloth off his back so she could work. She handed the cloth to Natalyn, who discarded it and laid several others in places still needing attention.

    Veyra worked her way up Vlad''s back until she reached the base of his wings. She paused for a moment, biting her tongue before letting out a shallow breath.

    ¡°Thank you... again,¡± she finally said, breaking the long silence that hung in the room. She didn¡¯t wait long before starting to peel off the cloth wrapped around the base of his wings, studying the damage she needed to undo.

    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡± Vlad replied shortly after, not bothering to say much else as he sat unmoving on the stool.

    Veyra paused for a moment but then returned to what she was doing. She didn¡¯t expect him to say much more after all he had been through¡ªespecially for something he should never have endured.

    ¡°The worst of it was definitely further down your back,¡± she started as she continued peeling off the cloth around the area. ¡°I can heal all of this, but I can do nothing about the feathers that are broken or missing. You know that though...¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Vlad said as he stood to his feet, not wanting to sit any longer.

    Veyra began to work again. However, after a minute, she tilted her head to the side, trying to get a better look at Vlad''s face. He continued to look forward out the window in front of him, watching as the last bit of sun disappeared over the wall in the distance. She remembered the blood that had filled his eye and poured out like tears when he had looked at her before and wanted to do something about it before it started to clot and harden.

    ¡°Vlad,¡± she said, narrowing her gaze as she began to reach up towards the side of his face. ¡°Look back at me.¡±

    Vlad looked back at her, showing that the whites of both of his eyes were completely filled with blood. Trails of blood also formed in several lines running down the sides of his face, mostly coming from the corners of his eyes.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± he asked.

    Veyra shook her head before taking her hand and placing it across his eyes. ¡°Nothing bad. It just looks... disturbing.¡±

    After a moment, she took her hand away to see that his eyes had returned to their normal color. However, the bloodstains that had dried on his face still remained. She returned to healing at the base of his shoulders, leaving Vlad rubbing his eyes in confusion.

    She forced mana into the palms of her hands, allowing it to spark into a powerful green light. But shortly after, her concentration broke. Her body fell still, as did Vlad''s and Natalyn''s.

    The sound of horns and bells began to ring out through the window.

    Everybody stood still and silent for a moment before Veyra and Natalyn locked eyes with each other, making sure they both heard the same thing.

    Vlad walked forward. He stood before the window and pushed it open, allowing the sound to fill the room from the outside, almost as if it was sucked in with the rest of the cold air.

    ¡°There¡¯s been a breach...¡± he said before turning and walking past Veyra to a cabinet in the corner of his room behind her.

    ¡°And what do you think you''re going to do?¡± Veyra asked accusingly as she watched her brother open the cabinet and pull out a folded pair of clothes.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not done with you yet! You won¡¯t get very far in the shape you¡¯re in!¡± Veyra barked as she stormed over and jerked her brother¡¯s shoulder to the side so he would face her.

    ¡°I am much better than I was. Thank you,¡± Vlad replied before attempting to put on some form of covering.

    ¡°This is exactly what I was talking about earlier! You¡¯re always trying to be the hero!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much that can be done when the kingdom is under attack, Veyra!¡± Vlad argued as he continued pulling the clothes over his head and wings. ¡°I honestly can''t really feel the pain now. Besides, Naem is still out there, as well as the rest of the people and my men.¡±

    Vlad turned and looked at Veyra, standing frustratedly beside him. ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll be careful. We can continue where we left off when I get back...¡±

    At that moment, Vlad¡¯s door whipped open, and several of the Vegan guards knelt to one knee in respect.

    ¡°Sir, the kingdom is under attack,¡± one of them said before they all stood back up, awaiting orders.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. Take care of her and get her somewhere safe, as well as my mother,¡± Vlad said as he walked over, picked up his sword from the foot of his bed, and slipped its scabbard under his belt, all the way up to the hilt. ¡°I¡¯m going to aid my father and brothers. They might have already resolved the issue by the time I get there.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s pray that¡¯s the case, Sir,¡± one of the guards said, and another added,

    ¡°May God be with you, Sir.¡±

    ¡°I have faith...¡± Vlad said as he walked toward the window and stepped up to it.

    ¡°Vlad...!¡± Veyra called just before he was about to leave. She stayed silent until she saw him look back at her. ¡°...Find Naem and be safe...¡±

    She watched her brother smile before giving her a curt nod, then launching himself out through the window. His wings stretched wide as he ascended into the sky and slipped out of view.

 Chapter 7: Breach

    Naem froze midair. Only instinct kept his wings flapping, holding him suspended in the sky. It felt as though his stomach was rising into his throat as the screams of pleading and pain filled the air.

    What is this!? Naem thought, unable to do anything but stare at the incoming horde of beasts in the distance.

    ¡°Naem! Help me, Naem!¡± The sound of Vlad¡¯s voice rang out, slightly louder than the other screams.

    ¡°No, no! Please, God, no! Help me, Naem! Help me!¡± came Veyra¡¯s desperate cry.

    ¡°This... this is all wrong!¡± Naem muttered in panic. ¡°My brother and sister were back at the house behind me. So why are there voices coming from out there?¡±

    ¡°Raise the shells!¡± A deep voice yelled out from the wall behind Naem, pulling him from his trance.

    He looked back to see the Vegan soldiers scrambling along the top of the middle ring. In a second, however, order was restored among them. A moment later, a mana-infused barrier appeared along the top of the wall. It stretched from the west gate all the way around to the east on both sides of the city. Then Naem watched as the ring grew higher into the sky, arching slightly toward the center of the city as it ascended.

    ¡°Heavenly Shield...¡± he said to himself, recalling the skill he had read about countless times in his studies with Veyra. This was the first time he had ever seen it in action, let alone on such a grand scale.

    Naem looked back toward the horde of incoming beasts. The faint blue hue of the shield slowly began to extend and form into existence like a giant dome across the entire middle and central rings. Even though he could still see through the spiritual art that now guarded them from the outside, as the last bits of the dome connected at its peak, the presence of the flying beasts in the distance became nearly nonexistent. The only indicator that he could see was that now the moon, Koshua, was completely gone.

    Oddly, the same went for the screams that had rung out in the distance.

    ¡°So... the screams weren¡¯t coming from brother or sister?¡± Naem said to himself, before looking back again through the spiritual art of defense toward the direction of his home beyond the middle wall in the outer ring. ¡°But what will happen to them?¡±

    He looked below him, down at the west gate itself. It still stood wide open, with people beginning to pour through it into the middle ring from the outside. It had to have been the farmers and everybody else who lived in the outer ring. They were all rushing to seek refuge here.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Brother and Father will bring everybody inside the walls as well,¡± Naem said to himself. Right then, a large, thundering crash rang out behind him to the east.

    Naem quickly looked back to see the remnants of balls of fire disappearing as they were reflected off the dome. He watched as several more balls of fire rained down from the sky and exploded as they hit the blue dome.

    ¡°The demons are already here!? How did they get past Vayrin so fast!?¡± Naem asked aloud, voicing his surprised thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder toward the west gate one more time, battling with himself on what to do.

    ¡°Vlad would want me to stay safe. I shouldn¡¯t leave the city to go and look for him¡­ He needs to focus on fighting the demons, not finding me,¡± he said before looking back down to the ground below him. He paused for a moment before spotting Relker leading the rest of the group along one of the side streets. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay with them and keep out of trouble.¡±

    Naem pulled his wings tightly to his body and careened through the sky, ripping through it like an arrow. The feathers of his wings and the fabric of his clothes sounded like tearing canvas before he spread his wings wide again, just before pulling up to a stop at the back of the group.

    Nobody seemed to notice him, and at this point¡ªeven despite his limp¡ªeveryone was running to keep up with Relker.

    ¡°Relker!¡± Naem hollered to the front, trying to get his attention, but everyone acted as if he wasn''t even there. ¡°Relker¡­!¡±

    ¡°Naem, stay up here with us!¡± Relker hollered back in a panic, giving the first sign that anyone had acknowledged his presence. ¡°Hurry!¡±

    ¡°My house is this way!¡± one of the Trojan boys shouted before pulling away from the group and running up a back alley.

    For a split moment, Naem caught sight of tears streaming down the side of the boy''s face as he ran as fast as he could. He looked back at the rest of the group and noticed the same thing with many of them. Everybody seemed to be competing with each other to stay closer to Relker, sometimes tripping over one another, and most of them were crying.

    It was at that moment that Naem remembered the screams of Vlad and Veyra coming from the horde of beasts, and how they disappeared once the dome was complete.

    Those screams were a lie, Naem thought to himself. They had to have been¡­ I did think that Vlad¡¯s scream was real at first, thinking he might have flown in that direction when he heard the horns. But Veyra would not have gone, not at all. And neither of them would have screamed out for me to help them.

    Naem focused back on the children in front of him. ¡°Hey, did any of you hear my brother screaming?¡±

    Seiker looked back at him with tears rolling down his face. Naem hadn¡¯t even noticed it was him at the back of the group until then. ¡°No, it¡¯s my parents! They¡¯re in trouble! They needed me! They needed my help!¡±

    Naem looked from Seiker back toward Relker at the head of the group. I heard Vlad and Veyra, and Seiker heard his parents. Did everybody else hear the same scream? he thought to himself before trying to get Relker¡¯s attention again.

    ¡°Relker! Relker, stop! The screams were fake!¡± Naem hollered out, gaining several looks from the other children, but Relker never stopped. ¡°Relker! Those screams were from the demon beasts! They stopped once the dome went up!¡±

    Naem propelled himself up above the rest of the children with a powerful thrust of his white wings. He flapped several more times, then turned and landed on the snow-covered ground a few paces in front of Relker.

    ¡°Stop for a second¡­!¡± Naem held out his hands in front of Relker, and he did indeed stop, though begrudgingly.

    ¡°What!?¡± Relker barked in frustration.

    ¡°The screams were fake! I heard my brother and sister coming from that way too. But I know they would¡¯ve been behind me, and they wouldn¡¯t have screamed for me to help them!¡± Naem explained hurriedly, trying not to lose Relker¡¯s attention. ¡°Seiker heard his parents as well. But trust me, it wasn¡¯t them! It was from those flying beasts! The screams stopped once the barrier went¡ª¡±

    Relker growled and cut Naem off. ¡°Did you say flying beasts¡­!? How many!?¡±

    Naem swallowed visibly. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ A lot of them¡­?¡±

    Just then, Naem looked down and watched as Sakura fell to the ground. Her legs gave out underneath her, and she looked forward with a blank stare, trembling in fear.

    ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no!¡± Sakura began to say as she covered her ears with her hands. Her voice grew louder the more she spoke. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening again!¡±

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    ¡°Sakura?¡± Sakiri said, her voice filled with worry as she rushed over to her sister, but Relker scooped Sakura up into his arms before she could reach her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Naem asked, but Relker continued forward past him, leading the rest of the group.

    ¡°No time to explain¡­ Now, we really need to get back to our homes. Sakiri, stay close to me,¡± he demanded.

    Sakiri ran forward to catch up and grabbed the cloth belt wrapped around his waist. ¡°Oh, all right!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Naem asked again as Relker led the group down another side street.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dillion said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know there were any flying demon beasts!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not supposed to be¡­¡± Relker said plainly, giving the children just that little bit of information, which only sparked more questions. But Naem had already figured out that much.

    However, before he or anyone else could ask Relker anything more, a large crashing sound¡ªlike a giant plate had shattered on a stone floor¡ªrang out through the sky. Everyone looked back in the direction of the sound to see a giant hole had opened in the dome that protected the city, and large black beasts began to pour into the city through it.

    <h3 style="text-align: center">¡ù ¡ù ¡ù

    Vlad flew as fast as he could, each wingbeat feeling as if the flesh were ripping from his body. Yet, he did not care about the pain. With help from the icy wind raking against him, he forced the pain from his mind as he had been trained to do in the past, causing his body to slowly grow numb.

    He had a duty¡ªresponsibilities he needed to uphold. He could not allow his mind to wander with distractions, especially not from the roar of screaming and pleading civilians he was supposed to be protecting in the distance.

    He was aware of the dangers he faced to an extent¡ªa darkness that engulfed the moon, Koshua. Something this powerful could not be overlooked.

    Vlad closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. Even though the air was icy cold, he felt his lungs burn with a heat that warmed his soul¡ªcleansing his body of its impurities and his mind of all distractions. He opened his eyes to see that his men had already started raising the barrier to protect the city.

    ¡°Good,¡± he said, feeling some assurance that he would only have to deal with the dangers already within the city and not worry about reinforcements or projectiles¡ªat least for a little while.

    He looked past the barrier forming over the city toward the east gate, where the night sky had turned into a black abyss.

    ¡°God be with you, brothers¡­ I''ll take the rest from here.¡±

    After saying his piece, Vlad tucked his wings close to his back and dove toward the west gate, dropping like a tossed stone as his body sliced through the air. At the last moment, he spread his wings and pulled up hard, soaring through the top of the open west gate, well above the farmers and other citizens fleeing into the city from the outer ring.

    Using the momentum of his fall, he shot himself back up into the sky, rising about two wall-heights above the middle ring. He hovered there, surveying the land. While there was chaos, there was no destruction. It took him a moment to realize that the screaming had stopped as well.

    "What''s this¡­?" he muttered to himself before looking farther ahead toward the east gate, past the center ring. If there truly had been an attack, there should have been some visible destruction. But from what he could see, that side of the middle ring was intact¡ªand the screams were gone.

    He looked up at the faint blue hue of the heavenly shield forming a dome over the middle and center rings. Its effectiveness in defense and protection was unmatched by any known skill¡ªa force impervious to both spiritual and physical attacks. It was regarded as a sacred art, handed down directly from Veylar himself.

    "Were the screams a spiritual attack?" he wondered.

    Before he could think further, two stars in the sky slowly began to burn brighter and grow larger. It wasn¡¯t until the last moment that he realized what they were.

    Instinctively, he guarded his head just as pillars of fire exploded against the top of the dome. More fiery projectiles followed, growing brighter before detonating in rapid succession, sending shockwaves that rang louder than anything else in the city.

    Vlad¡¯s brow furrowed in anger and confusion as he tried to make sense of what exactly was attacking them from the heavens.

    ¡°General!¡±

    Vlad looked back toward the voice that had called out to him and saw three armored Vegan soldiers flying up from the top of the middle wall.

    ¡°Does anyone have word from the outer wall?¡± Vlad called out as the three Vegans pulled closer, trying to speak loud enough that the men could hear him. ¡°What could we possibly be up against that swallows the moon and attacks us from the heavens!?¡±

    ¡°We have no word from your brothers on the outer wall, Vlad¡­¡± Abiky replied, his voice gruff as ever as he hovered closest to Vlad. His sheer size dwarfing both Vlad and the two other Vegans flying behind him. ¡°However, the screams have caused real panic¡ªeven among the soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought the city was under attack,¡± Vlad said, turning away from Abiky and looking eastward. ¡°Those screams were not ones of war¡­ I could have sworn that I was too late.¡±

    ¡°You''re right,¡± Abiky said. ¡°It was the demons. Did you not hear anyone familiar calling out to you?¡±

    Vlad¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked back at his friend. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°In the screams,¡± Abiky repeated. ¡°Did you not hear anyone you knew? Many of the soldiers heard their loved ones¡ªscreaming for help in the direction of the attack.¡±

    Abiky paused for a moment and swallowed hard. ¡°I heard my father and my sister, but I know they¡¯re back in Vega, Vlad¡­ as are most of the men¡¯s families. I swear, it was the demons!¡±

    Vlad slowly drew his eyes away from his friend and down to the commotion in the streets below. A great number of civilians had gathered on the main street, which stretched from the middle wall¡¯s west gate to the inner wall¡¯s west gate. It acted like a river, with the people its rushing water. And like a river, the more Vlad studied it, the more he noticed a pattern¡ªall of them were running eastward, branching off into smaller side alleys as they neared the inner wall.

    "They''re being lured¡­? They¡¯re being lured!¡± Vlad muttered under his breath before looking back at Abiky, who nodded in agreement.

    ¡°By the screams¡­ Somehow, the demons have bewitched our minds¡ªmaking everyone think their loved ones are in danger¡­¡±

    ¡°How the hell did they do that!?¡± one of the other Vegan soldiers said, hovering just to the left of Abiky.

    The three men looked to Vlad as if he had the answers, but he was none the wiser.

    ¡°Right now, we just need to keep everyone calm and in their homes. The demons have their reasons for trying to lure everyone to the east gates¡ªif that¡¯s truly what they¡¯re doing. And I do not want to find out.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± the two other soldiers said, slapping their fists against their metal breastplates before Vlad shot them a dismissive look.

    ¡°Vlad,¡± Abiky started as the other two soldiers pulled away and dropped back down to the wall below, ¡°Naem is still in the city¡­¡±

    Vlad drew in a deep breath as he looked back out over the buildings and the panicked people below. ¡°I figured as much¡­¡±

    ¡°At least, I didn¡¯t see him leave through the west gate.¡±

    ¡°No matter,¡± Vlad said before Abiky could continue. ¡°All I want you to do is find him and get him and Veyra to safety.¡±

    ¡°But Vlad! I should be fighting beside you!¡±

    ¡°Naem is more important than that,¡± Vlad said, turning back to his friend with serious eyes. ¡°Please¡­ knowing him, he''s probably gonna try and do something stupid. Once you''re done with that, come and find me. But not before.¡±

    Abiky hovered in place for a moment as he absorbed Vlad''s words, finally consenting with a nod of his head. ¡°Don''t you do anything stupid either¡­ Not until I return, at least.¡±

    And with that, Abiky gave one last powerful flap of his broad wings and flew past Vlad down toward the center of the city below. Vlad watched his friend for a moment before looking back up to the dome, trying to piece together the little information he had.

    ¡°Demons can''t use spirit arts like we can,¡± he said to himself, right before a large fire blast exploded off the top of the dome. ¡°So how are they wielding fire¡­?¡±

    He thought back to what Abiky had said about the screams. He had heard them as well, but he heard nobody familiar to him like everyone else did.

    ¡°None of this makes sense!¡± he said, frustrated in his confusion. ¡°Nothing related to a Demon can fly or use spirit arts, but the fire is clearly spirit arts¡­ I can only guess that the screams would be as well¡­¡±

    Vlad paused as he noticed that the fire attacks had suddenly stopped pounding the top of the dome, revealing a soft twinkle of a lone star right above him. He narrowed his eyes to try and peer further past the faint blue hue of the dome, and slowly he saw that the star began to speed up before it disappeared.

    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Vlad was cut short as the top of the dome covering the city shattered.

    The sound was so loud that Vlad¡¯s ears instantly began to ring, and his vision turned to haze. His wingbeats faltered as, once again, he covered his face by instinct.

    He quickly stilled himself before looking back up at the gaping hole in the dome, his golden eyes wide with the first sense of bewilderment he had felt in a long time, accompanied by the sound of his heart overtaking the ringing in his ears.

    ¡°IN HEAVEN''S NAME!¡± Vlad shouted as the Heavenly Shield was actually broken and a horde of black flying beasts poured through, beginning to disperse over the kingdom.

    The day of reckoning had begun.

 Chapter 8: A City of Prey

    ¡°Run!¡± Relker shouted to all the kids as they weaved their way through side streets and back alleys, his limp slowing his pace just enough for the kids to keep up.

    Naem looked up into the sky and saw hundreds of beasts flying above, some diving down toward the ground, accompanied shortly by loud crashes of destruction and screams. His heart pounded in his chest as he finally accepted the fact that they were under attack.

    The great city of Veltra was under attack by flying demons!

    ¡°Everybody, keep up!¡± Relker yelled again from the front of the group, pulling Naem¡¯s attention back to him.

    They all rounded a corner and entered an alleyway that led to a larger street at the other end. A small group of human guardsmen stood at its end, looking up into the sky in fear, until one of them looked back and noticed the group.

    ¡°There! Look at them!¡± one of the guards said, pointing his drawn sword down the alleyway toward Naem and the others. ¡°Th¡ªthe demons are attacking us because of them! Quick, get them!¡±

    ¡°Shit...!¡± Relker cursed as he stopped and tried to send the kids back the way they came. ¡°Hurry, run the other way!¡±

    He sent Sakiri just ahead of him with Naem, while he continued carrying Sakura, who still murmured nonsense just loud enough to be heard.

    ¡°Follow me!¡± Seiker cried out as he led the group down this side street in the same direction they had been running.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± another guard screamed from the back, before a loud scream rang out behind them all, followed by the crashing of heavy armor.

    Naem looked back at the mouth of the alley, and a moment later, another scream echoed from it. Looking back slowed his pace in front of Relker, but he couldn¡¯t draw his attention away.

    It did not take long before two of the guards ran out of the alley toward them, their unhelmed faces showing even more fear than when Naem had seen them at a distance. Instead of running in pursuit, it looked more like they were running for their lives.

    ¡°Run, Naem!¡± Relker growled before intentionally whipping his good leg around and kicking Naem in the backside to get him moving¡ªand it worked. Naem ran at full speed to catch up to Sakiri, Sakaya, and the others, following them down another alley.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± several of the kids cried out as they all stopped abruptly just inside the mouth of the alley.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dead end!¡± Sakiri said in a panic as she turned back to her older brother. Naem followed her gaze and saw Relker grinding his teeth in frustration and worry before grimacing and dropping to his knee in pain, his ears flat against the top of his head.

    ¡°Of all the days¡­!¡± he cursed, looking down at his left knee and the wooden brace he had wrapped around it, seeing that a part had broken from the stress he had put on it.

    Relker and all the kids looked back at the mouth of the alley at the sound of a scream and pleading nearby.

    Naem¡¯s breathing became heavy, as it did for the rest of the kids, some of whom began to cry. He looked down at Relker, who sat Sakura down at the base of Sakiri and Naem¡¯s feet, then stood up to face the alleyway.

    ¡°Everybody, stand back against the wall and don¡¯t move,¡± he ordered before starting to limp toward the end of the highway, his gait far worse than usual as he tried to support his bad leg the best he could.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight like that!¡± Naem protested, but Relker did not react.

    ¡°Brother, no!¡± Sakiri cried as she reached out toward him.

    ¡°Relker!¡± Sakaya and several of the other kids cried out before Relker took up his stance halfway between them all and the end of the alley.

    ¡°I said, stay!¡± Relker growled back, slipping his arms out of his upper robes so they fell behind him to cover most of his tail, suspended by his cloth sash.

    Naem noticed several large scars raked across Relker¡¯s back from his left shoulder, their pink hue grown with age. He couldn¡¯t study them long before Relker¡¯s entire body was engulfed in a blue flame.

    Naem¡¯s eyes grew wide as he watched Relker¡¯s frame grow larger and more upright. The brace around his leg cracked and popped under the strain before it exploded off his enlarged limb.

    In a matter of a few heartbeats, the blue flame disappeared, leaving behind a hulking beast covered in gray fur that stood upright on its hindlimbs, its forelimbs slightly enlarged. Relker held his arms out to the side, creating a barrier between the dangers at the end of the alley and the children behind Naem.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Sakura murmured, drawing Naem¡¯s attention to her bright blue eyes, wide as she looked at Relker, her ears lying flat atop her head and her chin quivering. She looked as if the sight frightened her, but Naem knew that wasn¡¯t the case¡ªevery Saiyakin had the ability to morph into their true Beast form.

    Naem and the rest of his friends jerked violently as a large crash rang out from what sounded like the other side of the wall that blocked them, followed by more screams and gunfire. He looked back as one of the guardsmen barreled into the end of the alley, screaming in panic as he slammed against the wall¡ªfailing to slow down enough to turn properly. The man quickly fell to the ground at the sight of Relker, standing in his large Beast form.

    Naem watched as the man quickly drew his sword toward Relker, then reached back and pulled out a gun holstered at his hip, pointing it at the entrance of the alley behind him.

    ¡°Stay back! Stay back!¡± the man shouted in a panic, hobbling back and forth as he tried to retreat¡ªeither toward Relker or away from him.

    Naem didn¡¯t have much time to question what the soldier was so afraid of before a large black figure stepped around the corner and into the alley. Its looming presence towered over the human, twice his height, and it brandished a large axe held out to the side. The giant¡¯s two red eyes burned against the black of its skin, its figure outlined by the dim firelight from the street it had entered from.

    Naem¡¯s heart dropped as the giant stepped closer toward them all.

    ¡°A demon¡­!¡± Naem said to himself, unaware that he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

    The rest of the children behind Naem screamed in terror, along with the human guard, as he fired off six rounds from his gun¡ªeach bullet ricocheting off the demon''s armor and smacking the brick walls that trapped them on either side.

    ¡°Stay back! Stay away from me!¡± the human screamed as he drew his sword away from Relker and toward the demon, but his actions were worthless. The demon showed no interest in him, swinging its large axe with tremendous power and speed, slapping the human with the broad face of it. The human¡¯s armor clanged loudly against the side of the axe before a grueling crunch and a series of crashes followed as the man¡¯s body was sent through the brick wall to the left.

    In horror, Naem realized that the demon had set its sights on Relker and the rest of them¡­ extending its axe out to the side again, ready to strike as it continued to walk closer. He batted his eyes between the demon and Relker, his breath growing labored as he mentally tried to pair Relker against the demon. But before he could think too much, a humming sound from above drew his eyes upward¡ªright before a sword dropped a couple of feet in front of him and wedged itself between two cobblestones that made up the ground.

    It was slightly bent out of shape and garnished with a light hue of blood.

    A human sword!? Naem thought, seeing that the sword was twice as broad as a Vegan sword and had a sharp edge on both the front and back of the blade.

    Without thinking, he hurried over, pulled the sword from the ground, and held it out in front of him as best he could in defense. He spread his white wings wide to put himself between Relker and the demon. His anxiety rose as the demon continued to walk toward them, nearly right on top of Relker, and it was problematic that he could barely lift the sword¡ªit was several times heavier and far clunkier than the Vegan swords he was used to.

    I have to do this¡­ he thought to himself with determination, trying to swallow his fear with little success. This is what I have been training for!

    He stilled his breath before watching Relker dash toward the demon without warning. Relker¡¯s growl echoed louder in the alleyway than the other screams and the loud pops of continuous gunfire in the distance.

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    He watched as Relker narrowly ducked under the demon¡¯s axe as it swung close to his head a moment before. Relker wrapped his arms around the demon''s waist and heaved upward with a loud growl. The demon struck him twice in the back with its elbow, but it did little to help its escape.

    Naem watched the two giants fall to the ground with Relker on top. He began repeatedly pounding the demon in the face as it punched and kicked, trying to break free.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Sakura pleaded softly behind Naem as she pulled her knees closer to her chest.

    Naem looked from her to the wall that blocked them, then back to Relker and the demon wrestling on the ground in a furious match of power.

    ¡°Dillion, can you and Seiker get rid of that wall?¡± Naem asked, looking over his shoulder and wing back to the two wide-eyed boys standing behind him, pulling them out of their fearful trance.

    Seiker looked back at the wall with Dillion before shaking his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that big! Earth calling is only my secondary skill.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Dillion continued. ¡°That''s too big for me to do.¡±

    ¡°I don''t mean get rid of it!¡± Naem argued frustratedly. ¡°Just make a hole that''s big enough for us to get through¡­¡±

    Dillion and Seiker exchanged a quick look, realizing that option was far more manageable.

    ¡°I believe so¡­!¡± Dillion replied before the two boys slipped their way up to the back of the group.

    Naem watched as the demon continued its attacks on Relker, knocking him off balance. Both the demon and Relker quickly gathered themselves before slamming into each other again. Now, with the demon positioned between Naem and Relker¡ªif that thing lands one good hit on Relker, he''s done¡­! Naem thought in panic, scanning for anything that could give Relker the upper hand.

    Then he realized that while Relker had the advantage on the ground, now the demon controlled the fight as they stood. That became clear as he watched the demon prevent Relker from performing the same tackling move as before.

    Relker needs to get him back down to the ground!

    ¡°Sakaya! Sakiri! Quick, turn the ground to ice over near the demon!¡± Naem shouted, not bothering to look back a second time, determined to keep his focus on the fight as it drew closer. After watching Relker make another attempt to tackle the demon¡ªonly to be kicked into the sidewall¡ªhe heard nothing from the girls behind him.

    He whipped his head around to see them both still, frozen in fear.

    ¡°Guys, now!¡± he screamed, but nothing happened. They sat speechlessly, watching the fight unfold in front of them.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Naem thought, glancing back to see that Seiker and Dillion had already managed to create a decent-sized hole in the wall. The stone bricks slowly crumbled away and fell as dust¡ªlike fire overtaking a piece of paper¡ªthough the hole was not yet large enough for all of them to pass through.

    ¡°Anyone!?¡± he asked desperately, looking over the rest of his friends as they all shied away into the corners and darkness as best they could. Most of them cried or sat in a trance as a large crash quickly pulled Naem¡¯s attention back onto Relker and the demon.

    He looked back to see the large demon had wedged its axe in the wall to their right, with Relker narrowly missing it underneath.

    ¡°Get him, Relker!¡± Naem screamed in encouragement before watching as Relker¡¯s giant, elongated maw barked angrily at the demon while he scrambled toward it on the ground, grabbing the demon by its leg and biting down on its knee between the plates of armor.

    The demon let out a loud wail that echoed deeply in the alleyway, prompting several of Naem¡¯s friends behind him to scream in fear. Naem clenched his teeth against the loud scream but did not look away. He watched as Relker let go of the demon''s knee and tried to gather his feet, but the demon whipped its leg around and slammed Relker into the left wall, causing part of it to collapse around them.

    Relker whimpered loudly as he tried to pull himself free from the rubble, but he did not move much. After a few quick attempts, he reached out his clawed paw toward the demon¡¯s feet. A bright blue light formed instantly in his palm, and ice froze the demon¡¯s iron boots to the cobblestone in response.

    However, Naem watched as the demon struggled once before ripping its foot from the ground and then setting it back down on a new sheet of ice that had formed around him. With no traction under its feet, the demon slipped and stumbled back away from Relker and toward Naem, falling hard to the ground in front of him with a large thud. The curved horns of its head came mere steps away from Naem.

    He held his breath as he looked up to see if Relker was coming, but saw that his friend was still stuck under part of the collapsed wall, desperately trying to free himself.

    ¡°No¡­!¡± Naem thought, panicked, before looking back down at the demon in front of him as it started to raise itself off the ground.

    Naem¡¯s eyes focused on the sword he held out in front of him, its blade rattling with the shaking of his hands. He began to breathe heavily again, biting down on his teeth harder as he tried to force away his fear.

    It''s right here¡­ I could do something to help! he thought, before gathering every bit of courage he had.

    Naem screamed loudly as he dashed forward and struck the tip of his bent sword into the base of the demon''s neck, but it did not sink very deeply at all. However, it was just enough for the demon to instantly react¡ªwailing loudly again as it jerked back and slammed the back of its head into the ground, leaving the sword tip bloodied with black oil as it jutted out of the demon''s throat.

    Naem stood there with wide eyes as he watched the demon¡¯s body slowly relax after coughing up more of its black blood. The rage that had filled its eyes slowly began to fade before it let out one last breath.

    ¡°I¡­ I killed it!¡± Naem said softly to himself before glancing over at his friends a couple of feet away, all of them looking from the demon up to Naem in disbelief. Some of their worried expressions slowly turned into smiles and laughter.

    ¡°You killed it!¡± Seiker laughed loudly as he stood up, his shaking legs giving out from underneath him a moment later.

    The sound of rubble moving made Naem look over to Relker, who was finally pulling himself out from under the collapsed wall. His giant Beast form was slowly burning away in the same blue flames that had engulfed his body before its transformation¡ªthe blue flames consuming the fur and flesh until he returned to his actual size and human-like form.

    ¡°Thank you, Naem,¡± he said with a nod of respect as he limped over and studied the hole in the wall that Seiker and Dillion had nearly finished. His blue eyes burned many times brighter than Naem had ever seen before.

    ¡°Nice thinking,¡± Relker said gruffly as he stopped to take in Sakiri and Sakura¡¯s tearful embrace. He glanced up at the sky with Naem and took in the sight of demonic beasts and streaks of light¡ªboth magical and physical¡ªflying above in a battle of oppression, with screams ringing out loudly all around amid the chaos.

    ¡°Naem, we are heading back to the river district. That''s where the rest of us live,¡± Relker said, pulling Naem¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°So, stay close, so we don''t get separated. It''s not too far from here now.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Naem said, maneuvering around the demon and toward Relker.

    ¡°I can only morph one more time before I¡¯m out of mana,¡± Relker continued as he took both Sakiri¡¯s and Sakura¡¯s hands into his. ¡°I will save it for when we really need it. But we do not want to draw any more attention than we already are, okay?¡±

    Everybody in the group nodded in understanding before Relker nodded toward the hole that Dillion and Seiker had finished making. All the kids began to crawl through one at a time as quickly as they could.

    Naem looked back up at the sky. It would have been much faster for him to fly over the wall, but the sight of some demon beasts flying right over the tops of the surrounding buildings made him think otherwise.

    I think I''ll just stay down here¡­ he thought, before looking back as Relker sent Sakiri through the hole, followed by Sakaya and then Sakura. He stopped before squatting down to go through himself, as Relker grabbed his shoulder.

    Naem looked back at the older boy, whose eyes peered brightly down at him in the darkness.

    ¡°Hey, thanks for your help back there¡­ really,¡± Relker said. ¡°Nice thinking with the wall, and the ice as well.¡±

    Naem raised his brows, not expecting Relker to have heard him before.

    ¡°Keep it up¡­¡± Relker continued as he shoved Naem down toward the hole. ¡°Your kind will have this mess cleaned up here in a little bit. We just need to hold out until then.¡±

    The thought of Vlad crossed Naem¡¯s mind as he started to crawl through the hole, agreeing with Relker.

    Yeah, I''m sure Vlad will kick all of these monsters out in no time¡­! he thought as he emerged into a large room on the other side, seeing the rest of his friends scattered throughout the room, trying to peer out the windows to see what was going on.

    However, Sakura, Sakiri, and Sakaya sat in the corner of the room to his left, huddled together as they tried to stay as far away from the windows as possible.

    Naem glanced from them back to the rest of the kids just before a loud explosion shook the entire room from outside. Mortar pieces fell from the crumbling walls as the vibrations freed them from their grasp.

    ¡°I can''t believe this is happening again¡­¡± Sakura murmured to herself as she held her ears to the top of her head, trying to block out all the sounds around her.

    ¡°I''m sure everything''s gonna be alright, Sakura,¡± Naem said, trying to comfort his friend while secretly harboring doubts and worry. ¡°My brothers will have everything under control here in no time. I''m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°Will that be before or after everybody''s dead, Naem?¡± Sakaya finally spoke up, tears streaming as she clenched her fists. ¡°You saw that thing back there¡­! How can an army of those things be beaten!?¡±

    Naem bit his tongue, but Relker spoke up before he could reply as he approached the hole.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time for us to worry about that,¡± Relker said, drawing all of the children''s attention to him as he awkwardly stood up off the ground. ¡°Naem¡¯s kind have been protecting kingdoms from the demons for as long as history itself. I seriously doubt they¡¯ll let the biggest kingdom they protect now fall¡­¡±

    The ground trembled beneath everyone¡¯s feet as a loud explosion rang out from just outside the building, causing most of the children to scream in fear and run away from the windows.

    ¡°The only thing we need to worry about now is getting back to our homes,¡± Relker continued as he limped over and took both Sakura¡¯s and Sakiri¡¯s hands, beginning to move toward the door. ¡°We just have to cross one more street and then we¡¯ll be fine. Everybody can come to our house if you want to stick together or go your own way to your homes¡ªbut I need to know now.¡±

    Naem watched as everyone briefly looked at the person beside them, then returned to staring at Relker in silence.

    Relker waited for a moment to see if anybody would speak up, then nodded his head in agreement. ¡°All right, everybody, stay as close to me as you can. Do not spread out¡­¡±

    Naem and the rest of his friends gathered behind Relker by the door and prepared to run. Naem found himself toward the back of the group next to Dillion. They exchanged nervous glances before looking up at Relker as he opened the door and rushed outside, with everyone following right behind him.

    All the kids followed him out as they poured through the doorway, but their fast pace quickly came to a halt when they saw that all the homes and other buildings outside had been reduced to rubble. Fires roared as people and beasts ran for their lives¡ªgiant, horned demons cutting them down in the streets while even bigger winged beasts, as black as night, stooped down and devoured both the dead and the living.

    Continuing forward felt like a death wish. The desperate pleas for help and the anguished moans of the dying echoed relentlessly in Naem¡¯s ears, each sound etching itself deeper into his mind. As the reality of the devastation sank in, Naem¡¯s mind reeled, and his limbs betrayed him. He was gripped by a paralyzing fear that left him numb and isolated amongst the horror.

    This was where they were all going to die.

 Chapter 9: Ashes Over Veltra

    Vlad raised his arm, palm facing the hole that had been made in the top of the dome. He narrowed his eyes as he forced mana into the palm of his hand, igniting a spark that grew into a large ball of fire. He held the ball there for a moment as it began to shrink down to half of its size, growing denser and brighter.

    The black, oily blood of demons etched against his skin like acid. Though, he could not focus on that or any of the demonic beasts that swarmed around him. He blocked them out, their presence like a nuisance of flies.

    Vlad clenched his teeth against the sudden stinging in his eyes as more of the demonic blood sprayed him in the face, accompanied by the giant beast falling out of the air in front of him chopped into pieces, clearing a straight path for him to the hole in the dome.

    He let go of the energy he held in his hand, and the ball of fire exploded into a stream of flames faster than the eye could see. His flames streaked across the sky like a bolt of lightning and slammed into the horde of beasts pouring through the hole, erupting into a massive explosion and putting a temporary halt to the demons pouring through the hole.

    Vlad let go of his breath and glanced around him as the giant winged beasts, repeatedly tried to attack him with no prevail. As soon as they flew into range of his Phantom Blades, their bodies were cut into pieces like they had flown straight into a thousand swords, none of them taking a hint after seeing the one before them fall in silence.

    Vlad quickly drew his sword and swung it through the air behind him to cut a spear-sized arrow that his invisible blades had missed, right before it struck him. He looked up in the direction that it came from to see one of the beasts hovering in place in the distance, with several other dark figures mounted on its back. The quick gleaming of light that he saw prickling the distance between them was the only visible indicator that more arrows had been loosed onto him. Their blackened shafts giving him no visual aid against the darkness of the night, only their silvery metal heads that reflected some of the firelight around him.

    Vlad quickly thrust his wings forward, propelling himself backward just in time to avoid the spear-sized arrows that tore through the air in front of him. They struck a beast on the other side, causing it to wail in pain¡ªone arrow piercing its eye while the other deflected off the armored plates lining its back.

    His eyes burned¡ªburned gold, even brighter¡ªas he peered through the blood running down his face. A heartbeat later, the distant beast and its two riders erupted into a massive fireball, the creature thrashing wildly for only a moment before its charred corpse plummeted lifelessly to the ground.

    With that threat eliminated, Vlad turned his gaze downward. The city streets below him had collapsed into chaos, buildings reduced to piles of rubble. Terrified civilians fled for their lives as demons and their monstrous, winged kin rampaged through the city, slaughtering everyone in their path.

    Human artillery was proving completely useless against the attackers. Their guns were devastating against both humans and greater beasts but had done practically no damage against the demon kind. It frustrated Vlad.

    The humans always boasted about their weaponry and how it was far superior to anything that the Greater Beasts could ever wield, yet here they were, helpless. It was the Vegans and the brave Greater Beast civilians¡ªwho dared to fight¡ªthat were cutting down the ranks of the demons. Swords, magic, and sheer willpower were the only things bringing a sense of balance to the battlefield.

    Vlad scanned his surroundings. He was one of the few Vegans who dared to take to the skies. From what he could see, the beasts outnumbered them tenfold. Tens of thousands of men had already fallen, and the enemy clearly saw Vlad as the greatest threat¡ªmost of them relentlessly hurling themselves at him in a frenzy of bloodlust.

    But no matter how much of a target he made himself, it wasn¡¯t enough. Everywhere he looked, another Vegan fell¡ªone after the other.

    ¡°We can¡¯t hold out like this for much longer¡­¡± Vlad said to himself angrily, before looking back at the west gate behind him. It had been drawn shut, with the iron gates dropped down to the ground to prevent more demons from pouring into the city.

    The sight of a red flare being shot up into the air towards him drew his attention back to its origin point. It came close to where Akabi¡¯s station point was on the wall, just to the right of the west gate.

    ¡°They must have news,¡± Vlad thought to himself, before glancing back as a giant piece of a beast that tried to attack him from behind struck his wing, knocking him slightly off balance.

    Vlad steadied himself and then sheathed back his sword onto his hip. He stretched both hands out in front of him, then slowly raised them into the air before drawing his elbows down to his waist. He took a long, deep breath, pulling the abundance of his mana into his core. Once he had gathered as much as he desired, he thrust his hands outward again.

    Giant jets of fire erupted from each of his palms, igniting the air around him. The flames twisted and danced like enchanted ribbons brought to life, swirling with a mind of their own as they devoured everything in their path.

    One by one, the beasts around Vlad fell in rapid succession, their flaming corpses plummeting to the ground like falling stars. With a moment¡¯s reprieve, he tucked his wings and dove toward the wall below, where a flare had been shot.

    As he descended, he drew his sword again out to the side and, with a single swift motion, severed the head of a demon that had climbed to the top of the wall before him. Vlad slammed it lifeless body onto the stone as he did not bother to slow his fall.

    The Vegan soldiers stationed on the wall instinctively leaped back to avoid being crushed beneath the beast¡¯s corpse. Quickly regaining their composure, they gathered around him, forming a protective circle¡ªone that enclosed both Vlad and another Vegan at its center.

    Vlad rose to his feet and stepped down from the demon¡¯s corpse, kicking its horned head aside, sheathing his sword as he approached the slender, brown-haired man before him.

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Have you heard any word from the outer wall, Ishida?¡± Vlad cut in, wasting no time on the Vegan¡¯s words of gratitude.

    Ishida blinked in surprise, fumbling for a proper response. ¡°N-No, sir. Nothing from the outer wall yet.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± Vlad argued, irritation creeping into his voice. He was growing increasingly frustrated¡ªhe had been pulled down to the wall where the rest of his men were instead of being out in the open to keep the beasts away from them, ¡°Aside from the obvious¡­¡±

    Ishida cleared his throat before dropping to one knee in respect.

    ¡°Sir, several things. First¡ª¡± He hesitated. ¡°The High General has not entered the middle ring. To the best of my knowledge, he hasn¡¯t been sighted anywhere near the center ring either.¡±

    Vlad¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion. Why hasn¡¯t Father come? He was in charge of the center ring¡ªhe should have already been there.

    His mind wandered, racing through possibilities as to why his father had yet to appear. But before he could dwell on it further, Ishida continued, pulling him from his thoughts.

    ¡°The second report came from your sister, Lady Veyra,¡± Ishida continued, glancing up to meet Vlad¡¯s gaze¡ªonly to find his eyes burning with frustration, piercing straight through him.

    Vlad snapped. Without hesitation, he thrust his left hand toward the city, unleashing another ribbon of fire that tore across the sky, incinerating any beasts that had begun to draw too close.

    ¡°She¡ªshe said that these beasts are Sablecrests¡ªcreatures of legend¡­? They were supposedly once thought to be the very embodiments of fear itself.¡±

    Vlad¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°How does she know this?¡± he demanded, stepping toward Ishida. ¡°Were they attacked? Is she alright? Do you know if Abiky has brought my brother back to her?¡±

    Vlad¡¯s pressure only made the Vegan even more nervous.

    ¡°N-No, I mean¡ªI don¡¯t know, sir,¡± Ishida stammered. ¡°Apparently, they were attacked, but the soldier left before stating their condition. He only said that they were in retreat outside the kingdom walls.¡±

    ¡°Out of the walls...¡± Vlad muttered to himself, barely acknowledging Ishida as his gaze drifted.

    A sudden surge of chaos erupted, louder than before. Stepping back onto the demon¡¯s corpse, Vlad turned his head sharply toward the city. In the distance to his left, near the North Gate, bursts of fire and rock continued to shoot into the sky. Yet, oddly enough, there didn¡¯t seem to be many of the supposed ¡°Sablecrests¡± flying in that direction. The sight piqued Vlad¡¯s curiosity.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be near the North Gate. If you hear anything from the outer wall or about my father¡¯s whereabouts, send up another flare¡ªI¡¯ll make it back to you as quickly as I can,¡± Vlad said as he stepped along the back of the demon¡¯s corpse, moving toward the edge of the wall.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ishida said, standing to his feet and slamming his fist against his breastplate. He watched as Vlad shot back up into the air with a powerful thrust of his wings.

    Once Vlad was far enough away, Ishida let out a long sigh of relief.

    ¡°You really need to work on communicating with your superiors,¡± one of the Vegan soldiers commented as the defensive circle broke apart, and the soldiers returned to their original posts.

    Ishida scratched the back of his head, forcing a nervous laugh as he too moved to take his position. ¡°Yeah, I assume you¡¯re right.¡±

    Vlad flew as fast as he could toward the North Wall, narrowly avoiding large chunks of flesh from the beasts that dared to attack him, as well as arrows shot by demons on the ground.

    He did not worry about them. He had to trust that his Vegan soldiers would handle the smaller nuisances. His role, as one of the most powerful beings in the kingdom, was to eliminate the greatest threats.

    However, that task became much harder when it was only him guarding such a vast area.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach his destination, and his thoughts were confirmed by what he had seen. The Sablecrests did not chase him into this area, and it did not appear that any demons were patrolling the ground either. But what he did see made his heart race.

    All the buildings in the area had been reduced to nothing but piles of rubble, and in the center of the destruction stood a single demon, surrounded by several dozen Vegan soldiers. It stood alone, fending off all manner of their persistent but calculated attacks, almost as if it were toying with them.

    Vlad¡¯s blood boiled as he watched his soldiers fall one by one to the demon¡¯s blade, their shields shattering under each of its blows. Despite the overwhelming force, the Vegans never backed down, continuing to fight if they could stand. All the way up until all of the Vegans quickly cleared out from around the demon and dropped to their knees in salute to Vlad.

    Their actions caught the demon off guard for a moment before he stopped and slowly glanced up to the sky, its burning red eyes peering straight onto Vlad.

    He watched his soldiers rise to their feet, readying themselves against the demon. They encircled it, preparing for another assault. Vlad also drew his attention back to the enemy below, not bothering to lower his descent.

    He saw the demon raise its massive blade high, holding it suspended in the air as if its weight meant nothing.

    ¡°Are you the keeper of this land?¡± the demon hollered out.

    His deep voice was clearly heard over the chaos raging through the city.

    Vlad scoffed, his tone laced with disdain. ¡°Hardly, but I am the one in charge of keeping things in order.¡±

    Even with the distance between them, Vlad could see the red glow burning brightly in the demon¡¯s eyes, narrowing as it glared back at him.

    The demon lowered its sword, casting a gaze around at the Vegan soldiers who still kept their distance.

    ¡°Vegans, the great and mighty race,¡± the demon chanted, before looking back up at Vlad. ¡°Protector of all nations, a race wrought with power. My, have you all grown weak?¡±

    Vlad narrowed his eyes further, feeling his blood begin to boil.

    Vlad looked up to his right at the hole in the top of the dome, watching as more demons continued to pour in through it, like black ink spilling into a water basin.

    ¡°Only the weak boast about their strength,¡± Vlad said, quoting scripture as he looked back down at the demon below him. ¡°Like the king of beasts, the strong lie in wait.¡±

    The demon growled, stepping forward angrily toward Vlad, causing the Vegan soldiers around him to shuffle anxiously.

    ¡°Only the weak hide themselves behind fortresses once thought to be indestructible.¡± The demon boasted, ¡°The era of the spirit¡¯s reign is over. Tahuln, has delivered us from your oppression, and soon our kin will rule over both the physical and spiritual realms. It is only a matter of time now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to admit that busting through our shield was impressive,¡± Vlad said, sighing and waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Though it would have been more impressive if you had broken through an area that was not the weakest point.¡±

    ¡°Also, raising beasts of legend back from the dead is a nice party trick. But if I remember correctly, legends depicted them as far more¡­ ¡®intimidating¡¯ do they not?¡±

    The demon bared his teeth before turning it into a wide smile. ¡°What is your name, Vegan?¡±

    ¡°Irrelevant,¡± Vlad replied. ¡°You won¡¯t live long enough for me to bother wasting my breath.¡±

    ¡°¡®The weak boast about their strength¡¯ was it¡­?¡± The demon said, raising his arms to the side, ¡°I am Neroz, the ninth general of the Demon Lord¡¯s army. And I challenge you to a duel of generals. You are daring enough to say that I will die. Let¡¯s see if there are any truth behind what you say.¡±

    Vlad narrowed his gaze.

    He¡¯s singling me out. Does he know that I¡¯m an S-rank? Vlad thought for a moment before coming to the conclusion that this demon probably knew full well who he was up against.

    Lord, give me strength to overcome my adversaries, Vlad prayed, bowing his head in silence. He then looked back up at the demon below him.

    ¡°I accept your duel.¡±

    No sooner had he spoken before a large pillar of fire shot up toward him with incredible power and heat. Though Vlad did not bother avoiding the strike, he simply hung in the air, unflinching as he bent the fire around him like water over a stone. After a few heartbeats, the explosive fire ripped past him, leaving no part of him touched by its flames.

    He saw the red glow of the demon¡¯s eyes dim a little as it bared its teeth, readying itself for another attack. Vlad did the same. He drew his sword with his right hand and raised his left hand in front of him, his two leading fingers pointing straight up into the air. A small flame slowly began to grow at their tips.

    ¡°Interesting¡­ A demon using spiritual arts¡­¡± Vlad remarked, drawing his fingers down toward the demon, as if holding an imaginary human pistol. ¡°My turn.¡±

    All of the Vegan soldiers around the demon quickly cleared out with haste as the small flame at the end of Vlad¡¯s fingers exploded with pinpoint accuracy. The column of fire, no thicker than the size of Vlad¡¯s fist, was extremely condensed and moved faster than the eye could see.

    Neroz reacted quickly, raising his giant blade in front of his chest with the broadside facing Vlad¡ªjust in time to block the small but powerful column of fire slammed into the blade, knocking it back into his chest and sending him sliding several paces from the force. Vlad¡¯s attack was brief but powerful, even pushing him higher into the air. He lowered his fist, opening and closing his hand slowly to work out the numbing sensation.

    Vlad watched as Neroz stood up straight, inspecting his great sword, now bent into the shape of a V. He cast the bent sword aside and raised his fists.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a weapon to kill the likes of you,¡± he barked. ¡°Come down here so I can beat you with my fists!¡±

    Vlad cocked his head to the side, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

    ¡°What fists?¡± he asked, just as two loud thuds rang out, metal striking stone.

    Neroz looked down to see both of his arms severed, lying on the ground beside him, black blood spraying from his shoulders. His eyes widened in surprise as he stepped back, away from Vlad.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± he barked anxiously. ¡°This armor cannot be cut!¡±

    Neroz looked back up at Vlad and his mocking grin. ¡°How can you wield such powerful magic!? The mana burning around you is no greater than that of the rest of those Vegans!¡±

    Vlad¡¯s smile grew wider, slowly turning into laughter.

    ¡°You can see our auras?¡± he said, spreading his arms out, mimicking Neroz¡¯s earlier gesture. ¡°Forgive me, I didn¡¯t know your kind could do that.¡±

    Vlad lied through his teeth. He knew full well that all demons could see the auras that burned invisibly around Greater Beasts, the size determined by their mana capacity. That¡¯s why the Sablecrests had repeatedly attacked him before¡ªhis aura burned the largest and brightest in their eyes. But he had learned a special trick during his days at the academy¡­

    He could suppress his aura at will.

    It wasn¡¯t necessarily a skill, but a technique that was extremely hard to learn. It was one of the things that made him favored in the eyes of all the professors¡ªthat he could master such a difficult technique at such a young age. What made it even more astonishing was that he hadn¡¯t even known he could do it until one of his classmates, a man of seer, pointed it out to him.

    The one downside to this ability, though, was the fact that it placed a handicap on the amount of power he could use. It was a universal rule: by unlocking the chains that bound him to suppress his mana he would unlock the full extent of his power, but that also meant he could drain his mana much faster, which was not something Vlad wanted.

    Closing his eyes, he focused, tapping into his core and undoing one of the shackles he had bound himself with.

    Nero stumbled back; his eyes wide as he watched the faintly golden hue of mana that burned like fire around Vlad. It was just large enough to encompass his body and the span of his wings, but it quickly grew five times as large. It was by far the most amount of mana Neroz had ever seen radiating off of a Greater Beast.

    ¡°You, you monster!¡± Neroz growled back in fear before he began scanning the sky frantically. ¡°Come to me! Come to me, you beasts!¡±

    He looked back at Vlad, his breath becoming labored as he tried to force the fear from his mind and body. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with tricks, Vegan!¡±

    He forced all his energy into his shoulders, and slowly, his arms began to grow back¡ªextending down to his elbows, then to his hands and fingers. All the while, he watched anxiously as Vlad began to slowly descend toward him.

    ¡°Now demons can use spiritual arts in fire and healing,¡± Vlad said, before pausing at the sight of Neroz¡¯s smile.

    ¡°You think just because you¡¯re powerful, you can let your guard down?¡± Neroz snarled, watching as three Sablecrests descended rapidly behind Vlad, their massive maws wide open, ready to devour him.

    But instead of witnessing the outcome he desired, Neroz could only watch in disbelief as the three giants lost their form. Their bodies spilled past Vlad, a shower of black blood pouring from them, their entire beings reduced to nothing more than liquid.

    Vlad¡¯s back burned as the acid-like substance showered over him, but he paid it no mind, his focus unwavering as he continued his descent.

    ¡°I thought this was supposed to be a duel of generals¡­?¡± he said, before an odd sound began to grow faintly louder to his right. He turned just in time to see a massive figure tearing through the air toward him, its giant axe held out to the side.

    Vlad quickly focused his phantom blades on the demon, but a strange sensation prickled his neck, an unsettling feeling that gnawed at him. Without hesitation, he threw out his left hand, releasing a burst of fire toward Neroz to help him get out of the way of the massive demon just in time.

    He watched as his phantom blades sliced through the demon¡¯s armor, shredding it apart along with its giant axe. But the attack proved rather ineffective, especially against the demon¡¯s skin, which showed no sign of damage as it streaked past him and crashed onto the ground to his left.

    ¡°A nullifier¡­¡± Vlad muttered as he watched Baron stand upright and glanced back over his shoulder towards him.

    ¡°Did you really think any part of this invasion was going to be fair for you, Vegan?¡±