Meanwhile, Hansen led Eira and Kran through the village paths toward her new home. Harrietta trailed behind them, her eyes lingering on Kran.

  “You really look like a new person,” she thought aloud. “I can’t believe how tall you are now. You used to be so small…”

  Kran chuckled. “Yeah, I looked at myself in the mirror today and didn’t even recognize the face staring back. But I feel… better. Like my ancestors finally decided to bless me.”

  He felt a deep connection to his lineage. He had learned as a child that one of his ancestors had been a Beast King, one who had vanished long ago, never to be seen again.

  “Ancestors, huh?” Eira smirked. “I didn’t know your ancestors used a syringe filled with questionable substances to save your life.”

  “You got me there,” Kran laughed. “I’ve always been luckier than smarter.”

  “You got that right,” Hansen added with a hearty laugh, slapping Kran on the back.

  They stopped in front of a tall, cozy cottage built into the side of a massive tree.

  “We’re here,” Hansen said. “This used to be one of our elders’ homes, but he passed away a long time ago. Let me show you around.”

  He opened the door and led them inside.

  The cabin was warm and welcoming. The first floor opened into a spacious dining room with a rustic kitchen straight ahead. A large bedroom with a stone fireplace sat to the right, its hearth still intact.

  “Wow… this is much nicer than my house,” Harrietta said, genuinely impressed.

  “Well, you wanted to be left alone to do your experiments,” Hansen teased. “We couldn’t exactly give you this place.”

  Harrietta laughed and gave him a hearty slap on the back. “Fair enough.”

  Hansen winced. “Ow… still strong as ever.”

  He led them upstairs. “There’s another bedroom up here, and a big library filled with the old elder’s books and belongings. You’re free to keep whatever you want or move it somewhere else.”

  Eira wandered through the rooms, her eyes wide with wonder. “I… I don’t think I deserve all this,” she said softly.

  “Nonsense,” Hansen replied. “You helped defend the South from the Soul Forger. This is the least we can do.”

  He gestured toward the back of the main bedroom. “There’s a bath back there, too. Take your time, wash up, and relax. You’ve earned it.”

  He turned to leave, pulling Kran and Harrietta with him.

  “There’ll be dinner at the main cabin later,” he called over his shoulder. “Don’t forget to come.”

  Eira stood alone in the quiet house. She slowly sat at the table, taking it all in. Her eyes welled with tears, tears that froze mid-air into delicate snowflakes.

  “I’m… free,” she whispered. “Finally free.”

  She let the tears fall, smiling through them. A house of her own. A place to belong.

  Sniffling, she stood up and wiped her face. “Alright. First things first. Let’s clean this place up.”

  She filled a bucket with water and began scrubbing the floors, humming softly to herself. For the first time in centuries, she felt like she had a future.

  ***

  In one of the bedrooms of the main cabin, Xarion and Zara lay beneath crisp white sheets, the soft glow of sunlight spilling through the window.

  “Well, that was fun,” Zara said with a satisfied smile, resting her head on his chest. “I missed having you all to myself.”

  “Indeed,” Xarion replied, his voice low and calm. “A lot has happened lately. I just hope you’re not upset with me.”

  She raised an eyebrow, giving him a playful look. “Why would I be upset? Oh, I don’t know… maybe because my own partner has been paying more attention to a certain boy than to his girl. What do you think?”

  He sighed, his expression turning serious. “I’m truly sorry. This has never happened before, but something about him… it stirs something deep inside me. My being reacts to his presence. Through his veins, the true blood of a dragon flows. That’s something my kind has always revered. Desired, even. But in the end, we were just servants, creations the dragons no longer needed.”

  Zara reached up and gently touched his cheek. “I understand that, but Xarion, you’re not just a servant. You’re you. You’re strong, kind, honorable… and frankly, a genius in both magic and swordsmanship. You don’t need anyone’s approval, not even a dragon’s.”

  He chuckled softly. “You flatter me too much, but thank you, Zara. I love you. I’ll do better, for you… and for our child.”

  Zara blinked, her eyes widening. “How did you know? It’s only been two months.”

  “I felt it,” he said, placing a hand gently on her stomach. “My blood is in you. I can feel it growing. It’s strong.”

  Zara’s smile faltered. “Don’t get your hopes up. You know how difficult it is to carry a mixed child. We need to be sure it survives first.”

  “There are treatments,” Xarion said, hopeful. “Blessings from the Elders. Once we return, I’ll ask for one. It’ll give us better odds.”

  “Okay, dear,” she whispered, resting her head on his chest again. “Whatever you wish.”

  “I promise,” he said, his voice firm. “I’ll do my best. For both of you.”

  A thought struck him, and he winced. “Do you think Nerva will lose his mind?”

  Zara burst out laughing. “A hundred percent.”

  Xarion groaned and buried his face in the pillow, already bracing for the storm to come.

  ***

  It was nearly sundown when Nerva stirred from his nap. He stretched with a yawn, blinking against the fading golden light filtering through the window.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “I needed that,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

  Across the room, Lucius was already awake, sitting on his bed, polishing his armor.

  “You’re getting old, Master,” Lucius said with a smirk.

  “I’m only five hundred and thirty-five,” Nerva replied with a chuckle. “You’re getting a little too comfortable teasing me, aren’t you?”

  Lucius paled. “Forgive me, Master.”

  Nerva waved him off. “Relax. We’re not in the military right now. But we do need to talk about your performance.”

  Lucius sat up straighter, his expression turning serious.

  “At first, you were too rash. Too proud. All bark, no bite,” Nerva said, his tone firm but not unkind. “But in the last battle… I heard what you did. Eira told me everything. You used your head. You figured out how to use your mana to attack, defend, and even heal. You helped Kran when he needed it. I’m proud of that.”

  “Thank you, Master,” Lucius said sincerely. “But it’s all thanks to your guidance. I still have a long way to go.”

  “That you do,” Nerva agreed, standing and stretching his arms. “But I can’t wait to see the look on the men’s faces when they have to spar with you again.”

  He grinned, then added more seriously, “Just make sure you’re more friendly with them this time. You hear me?”

  “I know,” Lucius nodded. “I’ve been watching Kai. He treats everyone with respect, no matter how strong he is. He’s not like the men in my family. It made me realize… name and bloodline aren’t everything. I mean, he killed a god while still a Knight.”

  “Yeah,” Nerva laughed. “Insane, isn’t it? But you’ve seen the cost. Who knows when he’ll wake up… or what he’ll be like when he does.”

  He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Speaking of which, I’d better go make my report to Theodor. This is going to be a mess.”

  Lucius stood and began strapping on his polished armor. “I’ll go train until Arama calls us.”

  “Good. Don’t slack off,” Nerva said, already dreading the conversation with the king.

  The two left the room together, one eager to train, the other bracing for a very uncomfortable report.

  ***

  Theodor sat at his newly repaired desk, the golden hues of sundown casting long shadows across the room. The magetech communication artifact on his desk pulsed softly, requesting permission to connect.

  These artifacts were incredibly rare; only two existed in the entire kingdom: one in Theodor’s possession and the other with Nerva. For everything else, there was Barnacus.

  Theodor poured his mana into the device, and it hummed to life, establishing the connection.

  “Nerva here,” came the familiar voice, slightly weary.

  Theodor leaned back, tapping his fingers on the desk. “I hear you. I hope you’re calling with good news for a change.”

  Nerva stood on the balcony of the cabin, watching the sun dip below the horizon. “Well… the Soul Forger is dead. No coming back from it. His soul was destroyed, eaten, actually, by our new friend.”

  Theodor’s eyes lit up. He clapped his hands together. “Now that’s what I’m talking about! That bastard deserved worse. I hope it hurt when his soul was devoured. I already like this new friend of yours. What a poetic way to end a monster.”

  Theodor truly liked to torture his enemies, the only thing that really bothered Nerva about the man.

  Nerva continued, though uneasily. “Calm down, Theo. I’ve got some bad news… and some worse.”

  Theodor groaned. “Gods be damned, Nerva. What now?”

  “You remember how we went to investigate what was driving the beasts north?”

  “Yes. So, was the Forger the cause, like you suspected?”

  “He was… but there was more. The real source of his power, what pushed him to kill so many, was something else entirely.”

  Nerva took a breath. “There was a fallen god trapped in the Dead Lands. Likely the origin of the Soultek Empire, before they were wiped out by their own creations and the Zenith Empire.”

  Theodor shot to his feet, pacing. “A fallen god? How is that even possible? How did no one ever find it?”

  “It was buried deep underground, hidden behind an illusion barrier. But… she’s dead now. Courtesy of our new friend.”

  Theodor froze mid-step. “Wait. You said he’s a Peak Knight, right? And he killed a fallen god?”

  Nerva chuckled. “He didn’t fight her directly. He just… finished her off. But even that is incredible.”

  Theodor sat back down, stunned. “Holy shit, Nerva. I can’t even wrap my head around that.”

  “Yeah,” Nerva said. “It’s a lot, but that’s not the worst of it.”

  Theodor braced himself. “Go on.”

  Nerva’s voice dropped. “Theo… I saw James.”

  Theodor’s heart skipped a beat.

  “His body was used to create a Chimaera. The strongest one there. I had no choice. His mind was gone, empty, broken. I had to fight him.”

  Silence.

  Nerva’s voice cracked. “As he was dying… he remembered who he was. Just for a moment. He begged me to end it, Theo. He was glad Lisa was alive. He told me to tell you goodbye.”

  Nerva’s voice broke, and he wiped his eyes.

  On the other end, Theodor sat frozen, his fists clenched. Mana surged around him, his aura boiling with grief. Tears welled in his eyes and evaporated into mist before they could fall.

  “It’s okay, Nerva,” he said at last, voice hoarse. “Knowing James… he wouldn’t have wanted to live like that. He was already gone. You did the right thing. I won’t hold it against you.”

  “He died a warrior’s death,” Nerva said quietly. “I have his body. We’ll bury him with honor.”

  He had stored James’s body in his storage artifact with the purpose of honoring him.

  “Thank you,” Theodor whispered. “And thank you for finding Lisa. How is she?”

  “She’s doing well. I haven’t told her yet. She’s grown up fast, Theo. This hasn’t been easy on her, but she’s found a brother in Kai and a family in his companions. He’s been her light in the darkest of times.”

  Theodor closed his eyes. “Don’t tell her. Not yet. It won’t help her to know. As for this Kai… I want to meet him. I need to thank him. We owe him more than I can put into words.”

  “I don’t know when that’ll be,” Nerva said. “He’s in bad shape. The toll of killing a goddess… It’s left him unconscious. We’ll have to wait for him to wake.”

  “I see,” Theodor murmured. “No wonder. That kind of power… it always comes with a price.”

  He took a deep breath. “Alright. Stay with them. Protect them while he recovers. I’ll hold the line against Rond, but if this drags on, I may need to call you back.”

  “Of course,” Nerva said. “Just say the word, and I’ll be there.”

  “Thank you, brother,” Theodor said. “And don’t worry about me. I’ll manage. I have a kingdom to run, after all.”

  “Good. Don’t let this break you, Theo. We’ll get through it.”

  “I know,” Theodor said, his voice steadier now. “Goodbye, Nerva. We’ll talk again soon.”

  The connection ended. The artifact dimmed.

  Theodor sat in silence, staring at the fading light outside his window. His hands trembled slightly, his breathing heavy.?

  main page and hit follow and favorite, or leave me a rating! Your reviews and feedback mean the world to me and help spread the word, especially for a small author. Thanks for your support!

  My Patreon