The next dawn, the heroes had a meeting in the lord's mansion.
"We will attack Solluna," said Lord Benevence, looking at his warriors. The silence in the meeting hall showed that everyone was stressed about the coming war. There would be no other way to prevent it. The plan to steal Lord Amo's treasure piece had failed. The trio had told their lord that Violetia claimed that her papa had no more treasure. Lord Benevence believed either Violetia may not be truthful or Lord Amo had kept the truth away from her daughter.
"Although Solluna armies are stronger, they are under separate general, and almost all generals aren't willing to sacrifice their lives for Lord Amo. They have planned a coup to oust Lord Amo and Violetia."
Chi, Zhanshi and Vincere were so worried; terrible fate would befall Violetia.
"My lord," said Chi. "Please launched an attack to Solluna as soon as possible."
Lord Benevence was puzzled. "Chi, aren't you wish to prevent bloodshed? Why would you ask me to attack?"
"My lord," said Chi. "When we were in Solluna, Violetia helped us to retrieve the treasure, and when we were caught, she saved us. She is kind, unlike her papa. When we asked her to come with us, she rejected and wish to be with her papa and her people. But now, she and her papa are in danger. Me hope no harm would befall her. Please send armies as soon as possible."
Lord Benevence nodded. "War is not something we can rush. I promise you, Chi. Once resources are prepared, we will depart right away. And I promise I will spare Lord Amo, Violetia and her people."
When the Sol reached the highest point at the sky, Sir Whitefur and Lady Swiftwind entered the hall. They told Lord Benevence the resources of food supply and armies had been prepared. Lord Benevence, along with his warriors, departed from Kinma City, southward to Solluna. The attack would be launched despite Zhu Ming, and Mirai wasn't with them. Though Zhu Ming had vowed to have his revenge on Lord Amo, he left suddenly with the reason only he and Mirai knew. The armies were at half-way to Solluna when the Sol set, and they stopped by the river and camped there for rest.
The Sol rose, the armies awoke and had breakfast. Then, the armies crossed the river and continued their journey. By noon, the troops saw Solluna city in a distant where it had the size of a palm at their views. They continued to marched forward until the city got bigger. There was a long line of black along the width of the city. In the middle of the black line, there were two dots of red and purple.
It seemed that the Solluna had expected the attack that they had prepared their massive armies to fight. The Warriors of Benevolence stopped with terrified faces. Lord Benevence took out his binocular and looked at the direction... and he grinned.
"They're not waiting to fight, but to surrender!" said Lord Benevence, peering behind at his warrior. Each of them had a relieved breath.
Chi took out her monoscope and looked. Her lord was right; All of them were kneeling, and the red and purple dots in the middle were Vera Xin and Violetia. Vera was kneeling with her both hands holding Lord Amo's black robe while Violetia was chained. But there was no Lord Amo among them.
"My Lord," said Chi. "It seems that Vera had led a coup against Lord Amo and captured Lord Amo and Violetia. But me see no Lord Amo."
"Where's Lord Amo?" said Sunu, looking half-worried.
"Me don't know," said Chi.
"Maybe Lord Amo is in the dungeon," said Lord Benevence. "Or maybe a trap. Vera Xin is smart and crafty. Be careful." And then, Lord Benevence led his armies to approach Solluna. When it was a safe distant, Lord Benevence signalled his troops to stop.
"I need a someone to represent us to received Lord Amo's robe from Vera," said Lord Benevence.
"I volunteer to go, my lord," said Zhanshi and he began to walk toward Vera and stopped there where he and Vera had a talk.
After some time, Zhanshi returned to Lord Benevence and said, "Vera Xin represent all Solluna to surrender themselves. They had can't tolerate Lord Amo and had launched a coup. Since they know Lord Amo is powerful, they had secretly poisoned his favourite drinks to capture him, but he managed to escape. And they captured her daughter instead. So, they offered Lord Amo's robe as a sign of their successful coup."
"Alright," said Lord Benevence. "Looks like they really wanted to surrender." Hopping the rein to make his equine move, he came nearer towards Vera Xin.
Vera lowered her head, "Dear Lord Benevence, I, Vera Xin represent the Solluna to surrender ourselves. We plead for your pardon and mercy from your highness lord, and we hope milord will accept some tribute from us." Vera Xin opened a chest beside her to reveal a pile of glittering gold coins.
"We come here not for gold," said Lord Benevence. "But to defeat Lord Amo and to bring peace to the Eastern Land. But since you all had overthrown Lord Amo, our purpose here is half done. And I have also come here on behalf of Lady Violetia Amo's request to make sure her papa and her people are spared."
"Thank you, Lord Benevence," said Violetia. "On behalf of my people."
Chi couldn't bear to look at Violetia, who had been chained like some violent criminal. So she leapt from her equine and manifested a golden orb and broke the chains that bind Violetia with a loud clink.
"No! She's dangerous!" The dark-robed next to Violetia was appalled at what Chi had done.
"Sister Violetia, you alright?" And Chi received an embrace from Violetia. "How could they have treated you like a dangerous beast?"
Violetia gave Chi her grin. "It's alright. Lady Xin did this for the sake of the people."
"A victory." Lord Benevence beamed.
The armies roared with triumph, raising their weapons. It was the best victory since they had won without any fight. But the best strategy should be winning without the armies' mobilization.
Lord Benevence stepped down to receive the robe but not the chest of golds. He drew out his sword and raised it high. "Let's have a rest in the city!"
"My lord," said Vincere. "Lord Amo may not be far from here. If we chase him, we might have caught him."
"I have promised Lady Violetia to spare her papa."
"My lord," said Vincere. "What if Lord Amo return with more armies of his own?"
"No worry, Vindicta," said Lord Benevence. "He will not have that chance. Lord Amo have committed heavy crimes on the Eastern Land. I'm sure everyone would want to seek him for justice."
Vincere nodded.
Chi was attracted to her lord's sword – a golden hilt and a metallic blade, and along the sword's spine, there was a red glowing metal - ignium. It was no mistake an ignium; Chi would never be mistaken.
"What a wonderful sword my lord possesses," said Chi.
"What? You mean the Spirit of Righteousness?" said Lord Benevence. "Yes. Thanks to Chief Emberfist. He had my both my swords imbued with ignium as a token of gratitude. Now my weapons are more powerful than ever."
And Chi looked at another sword, the Heart of Benevolence. Now the sword had ignium embedded as an orb at the base of the spine. Weren't ignium a metal so sacred that the redragons wouldn't willing to share with outsiders? If so, how her lord's sword got embedded with it? Perhaps Emberfist had abolished the sacredness as well as the hunting tradition.
Lord Benevence led his armies to enter Solluna's city. It became clear that there wasn't any trap. It was just that they were suspicious or paranoid. All the citizens were excited and echoed 'Lord Benevence!' repeatedly when they saw the Warriors of Benevolence entered and marching along the road to the Solluna's palace.
The armies made into the palace. Lord Benevence saw the big throne Lord Amo had once sat. It was enticing, but Lord Benevence didn't stride to the throne.
"My lord, why do you stop?" said Whitefur.
Lord Benevence grinned at his loyal soldier, a humanoid tiger. Then, he turned back and face his soldiers and the Sollunas.
"Let Violetia be the leader of Solluna," said Lord Benevence. "She's Lord Amo's daughter. Besides that, she is a good candidate for the leader."
The Soldiers of Benevence answered in unison that they agreed with their lord's decision. But the Sollunas that had ousted their former lord were quiet, looking at one another and then began muttering in disagree and dissatisfaction.
"After all for what we have suffered and overthrown Ziwo Amo, you still instil his daughter as the leader?" The faction under Vera began questioning Lord Benevence's decision.
Lord Benevence was quiet. The only noise of commotion came from Vera's faction. But Vera was in quietude like Lord Benevence. She tended to analyse the reason for that decision. It was one of her supporters that spoke. His reptilian-like voice was harsh too that it reminded Chi of Lord Amo. Soon the supporters lashed out their displeasure to Lord Benevence. It was a surprise that Lord Benevence could still maintain a calm composure.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said Lord Benevence. "May I ask you the reasons you all chosen to overthrow Lord Amo?"
The Solluna's followers that were ruckus with displease now dwindled into total silence. Nobody said a word.
"Is he cruel and a tyrant?"
The followers nodded their heads slowly, one by one, answering Lord Benevence's question.
"Is Lady Amo cruel like her papa?"
"No." a faint voice of uncertainty answered.
"Is Lady Amo cruel like her papa?" Lord Benevence repeated, looking to search the sure and the loudest answer from each and every one.
"No." Now came the loud and more certain answer.
"I see no reason we can't instil Lady Violetia as the rightful leader of Solluna. Lady Violetia is no way like the previous leader. Do you all think so?"
"YESSS!!!"
Now the faction that rebelled against Lord Amo had turned to favour to Lady Violetia Amo. They knew Violetia was kind and compassionate. Violetia caught a glance of Vera nodding to her with a warm smile. Thanks to Lord Benevence that had turned the tide inside Solluna. A possibility of another civil war had been thwarted.
"Then, let us release the supporters of Lord Amo," said Lord Benevence. "Now that everyone in Solluna supports Lady Amo, there's no reason to fight against each other."
"No," said Violetia. "I do not wish to be the leader."
Her words shocked most of the Solluna's followers. If she didn't want to be the leader, then who would be a perfect candidate for the leader. Would Solluna be left leaderless and led to a power vacuum?
"Sister Vera is selfless and responsible," said Violetia. "I believe we can let her be the Solluna's new leader. Sister Vera will take care of Solluna's wellbeing. Brothers and sisters, please support Sister Vera as the leader. Let her take care of you all."
Vera was speechless. Looking at the Solluna's followers, supporters of Lord Amo and hers alike, she detected all their faces seemed to echoed the same voice – all hail Lord Xin.
When the Sol was low at the sky, the Warriors of Benevolence were in the Solluna Palace for the coronation ceremony of Lord Vera Xin as the new leader of Solluna. Lord Xin trod across the red carpet, which would lead her to the throne. Lord Benevence was standing next to the throne with a palace keeper bearing a gnarled staff for the new leader. It was the custom of Solluna that the former leader would pass the staff to the successor. In this case, where the leader was ousted, it would be the one with the highest rank. In this situation, Lord Benevence was qualified to pass the staff to Lord Xin.
Lord Xin ascended the landings of the throne and received the staff from Lord Benevence. The staff was the favoured item of Solluna's founder. It had been wielded by many leaders after the founder. Once Lord Benevence descended, Lord Xin turned to her followers and raised the staff. Her followers kneed down and hailed her.
"May my lord live as everlasting as the Heaven and the Earth!"
The Warriors of Benevolence were startled to see the custom of which the followers have to kneel down. Violetia kneed too, But she had a look of half-fear and discomfort.
"It's exaggerating," said Lord Xin. "From now on, avoid saying 'as everlasting as heaven and earth' and no more kneeling."
"Yes, my lord!" All the Sollunas voiced out in unison and rose.
The coronation ceremony ended when the Sol hung at the western horizon with Lune at the opposite east. It was already late for the warriors to return to Kinma City and they decided to spend a night at the Solluna.
When the Lune had ascended higher in perfect roundness, Chi, Sunu, Zhanshi and Vincere gathered with Violetia at the palace's pavilion. The pavilion was built on a lake. It was surrounded by water and connected to the dry ground by a marble bridge. From the pavilion, they could see themselves and two shining Lunes instead of one.
"Why you wouldn't want to be the leader?" said Vincere.
"The only thing I want to do now is to find my papa. Anyway, I had no desire to be a leader. I prefer to travel outdoor. Sister Vera is more suitable to be the leader instead."
"Sister Violetia, the Universe will arrange an opportunity for you to meet your papa. This is how me meet my mama," said Chi as she and Sunu exchanging warm smiles with one another.
"I believe you, Sister Chi," said Violetia. There was a beam of faith on her face. "I know I can find my papa."
"During the ceremony," said Chi. "Me saw you looking uncertain. Is it of Sister Vera?"
"Yes, the moment everyone kneed to Sister Vera, I suddenly remember my papa. My papa was once a caring papa and leader. Then, after mama's demise, papa slowly turned and become like now. I could only hope this wouldn't happen to Sister Vera."
"Nearly everyone can stand adversity," said Zhanshi. "But power can really test one's character. I believe Sister Vera wouldn't be like your papa. She had abolished exaggerating custom and sacked all the good-for-nothing flattering followers."
"Maybe Sister Vera is different." And that seemed to have relieved Violetia's worry.
But then, Violetia sighed. "Alas, I hope the night would be longer. After this night, we will go separate ways. I don't know if we can still meet again."
"Me know we can meet again," said Chi. This illuminated not just Violetia but Zhanshi and Vincere. "Unions leads to separation and separation leads to another union. Like how my mama and me can be reunited. When me reach Kinma City, me will resign myself and with my mama, will love with Sister Nuwa."
"I will continue to serve under Lord Benevence," said both Zhanshi and Vincere.
And they drank and chatted like they weren't going to meet anymore. The gathering had a feeling of a farewell; it was Zhanshi and Vincere to bid farewell to Chi, Sunu and Violetia.
The Sol had risen and seen the Warriors of Benevolence had packed and readied to travel northward back to Kinma City. Violetia had packed too, but she travelled in different directions, that was eastward. It seemed that she knew where her papa would go.
As the warriors travelled, the wind of autumn blew on earth with red, brown and yellow leaves fallen from the trees to the ground. This reminded Chi that the previous autumn, she was almost being executed and separated with her mama and met Sister Nuwa. For Violetia, it was the last autumn that her papa's treasure was stolen which led to the attack on Imperiare City. To Vincere, it was the autumn when Imperiare City was sacked, his papa had died, and he had become a wanted-person. While many autumns ago, Zhanshi had almost died if not of Vera Xin and Violetia and that resulted in him to leave Solluna. All the events and incidents had then followed led them all back to Solluna. Everything that happened seemed to be revolving in a predestined cycle.